The Azores Jasmine (Jasminum azoricum) is a shrub plant with an upright to climbing growth habit, semi-woody texture, and high ornamental value. It is native to the Madeira Island, where it is seriously endangered, restricted to a population of less than 50 individuals. It produces long, slender, and branched branches, forming a dense tangle. Its leaves are opposite, evergreen, leathery, trifoliate, glabrous, and shiny, composed of ovate to ovate-lanceolate leaflets.
Its flowering period is quite extensive, starting in spring and lasting almost all year in warm climates. Inflorescences in terminal racemes gather star-shaped flowers, pure white and delightfully fragrant, with slightly distinct notes from other jasmines, some claiming to resemble the scent of gardenia. The flowers of this jasmine are highly attractive to butterflies and other pollinating insects. The formed fruits are small, dark berries of little importance as ornamental.
In landscaping, the Azores Jasmine is highly valued, although it is challenging to find for sale. It is mainly used as a climber, covering pergolas, arbors, fences, columns, and crowning walls. Its fine and delicate texture, along with the fragrant white flowering, makes it versatile in various garden styles and sizes, such as English, French, Italian, and even tropical gardens. Additionally, it has moderate growth and very low maintenance, requiring only tying during establishment and occasional pruning to control its shape. It can also be cultivated in pots.
It should be grown in full sun or partial shade, in well-draining soil enriched with organic matter, and regularly irrigated in the first year after planting. Once well-established, it becomes tolerant to drought periods. It is also resistant to frost, cold, winds, and the salinity of coastal areas, making it suitable for a wide range of climates, including more continental regions.
Propagation is done by semi-woody branch cuttings in late spring and throughout the summer, planted to root in sandy substrate and kept moist. It can also be propagated by air layering. Flowering is modest in the first and second years but gradually becomes more and more abundant. Fertilize with nitrogen-poor fertilizers for healthy development, low susceptibility to pests, and intense flowering.
