Asiatic Jasmine

Asiatic Jasmine is an evergreen woody groundcover from eastern Asia, listed botanically as Trachelospermum asiaticum. Small, leathery, dark green leaves with pale veins line reddish-brown stems that knit into a dense mat, crowding out weeds on slopes and in beds where turfgrass struggles. It grows in anything from full sun to dense shade, holds at roughly 6 to 18 inches tall, and spreads several feet wide when set 18 inches apart. Hardy in USDA zones 7 through 11, it takes heat, is moderately salt tolerant for coastal yards, and rarely needs irrigation once established. Mow or shear it once in spring, since extra water, sun, or fertilizer makes it aggressive. Small fragrant flowers appear in late spring but are seldom seen in Florida. Cut stems ooze milky sap.