How to Propagate Jasmine Plants

Jasmine flowers offer essential oils for cosmetics, fragrances and candles. The soothing scent of the jasmine plant will highlight the garden, as well as bring ambience with its night blooming properties. Propagating this Oriental-born flower is one way to create a new plant without having to fuss over seeds and long wait periods for blooms. Gardeners are able to see their plants grow and produce flowers the following spring after propagating in the fall.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• Pruning shears
• Rooting hormone powder
• Planting medium (perlite/soil mixture)
• 1-gallon planting container
• Watering can

1. Cut a limb from the parent plant at a 45-degree angle with pruning shears, taking at least 6 to 8 inches of the healthy limb. Make the cut clean and precise to avoid future disease or stress. Look for smoothness of the stem, pure green color and bright, clean leaves when choosing a limb to cut.

2. Cut the leaves from the bottom 1/3 of the limb to create the base of the new plant. Make your cuts clean, directly beside the main stem. Dip the bottom 2 inches of the new plant into the rooting hormone powder and set aside.

3. Pour the rooting medium into the container, creating a hole large enough to accommodate the 2 inches that have been treated with rooting hormone. Place the limb within the soil and perlite mix with gentle care to prevent any unnecessary stress.

4. Water the cutting enough to keep the soil firm to the touch. Do not allow the soil to get dry or dusty, or too soaked.

5. Plant the jasmine cutting in the garden bed outdoors or in a larger container once the plant has grown three sets of leaflets. Jasmine is a tropical plant that will not survive through frozen ground, but it makes a good house plant in USDA hardiness zones 6 and below when pruned properly.