How Long After Cutting Back Asian Jasmine Will it Grow?

Uses

• Although Asian jasmine's climbing and twining, smooth stems easily climb up walls and pergolas where its flowers and leaves soften and enhance the structure it is more often grown as a ground cover. The vine's stems grow quickly into a dense mat, choking out other plants. This characteristic makes the plant useful in large, difficult-to-maintain areas such as traffic islands, the sides of busy roads and other urban sites where weeds are a problem.

Pruning and Regrowth

• Cut back Asian jasmine to 4 inches in late winter and it will have grown back enough by July to have to cut it back again to keep it from taking over your garden. The 6- to 12-inch plant flowers from summer to mid autumn, so wait until it has bloomed to give the plant its second shearing. Once you cut off the flower buds you will have to wait until next year for Asian jasmine to flower again.

Ground Covers

• As a ground cover, the plants increase rapidly spreading out by layering, new stems that touch the ground, quickly grow roots that help it increase. It can become invasive. Hard pruning keeps it under control. An easy way to cut it back is with a lawn mower set to the highest setting. Plants are frost sensitive. In colder zones this might be an advantaging helping to keep the plant in check.

Vines

• When grown as a vine Trachelospermum species can reach heights up to 45 feet, although 15 feet is common. Use pruning shears to keep it in check. The tendrils won't hurt masonry but they can get under tiles and become a problem. Growing Trachelospermum species on tree trunks will not hurt the tree directly but the vine can get too thick, blocking sunlight. The vines weight increases wind resistance and the possibility of the tree blowing down.