Difference Between a Jasminum Grandiflorum & a Jasminum Sambac

Foliage

• Jasminum sambac has glossy, dark green foliage. The leaves are rounded to oval with prominent veins and grow up to 3 inches long.
  Jasminum grandiflorum has oblong, lance-shaped leaves that grow up to 4 inches long. The uppermost pairs of leaves are broad and flat. Leaves are slightly lighter green than Arabian jasmine and grow in opposite pairs with up to 11 leaflets.

Flowers

• Jasminum grandiflorum produces its flowers in clusters at the tips of its arching branches in summer. The white, five-petaled flowers are up to 1-inch wide and may have faint pink tinges on the undersides of the petals and on the buds.
  Jasminum sambac's flowers start out pure white and fade to pastel pink as the blooming season wears on. The flowers have a waxy appearance and are about the same size as Spanish jasmine blooms. Arabian jasmine flowers appear in clusters of three to 12 from spring all the way through autumn. The plant may bloom year-round in frost-free, subtropical to tropical climates.

Growth Habit

• Spanish jasmine is a semi-evergreen vine that may be deciduous in some areas. Also called Catalonian jasmine, the plant grows up to 15-feet tall and is winter hardy to about 15 degrees F.
  Arabian jasmine grows only about 6- to 10=feet tall. An evergreen, Jasminum sambac can be grown as a vine or trained as a shrub. It makes an interesting and fragrant potted plant. Prune to control growth and shape and to encourage flowering.

Cultivation

• Both types of jasmine prefer to grow in fertile, well-drained soil with full to partial sun exposure. Jasmine grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 and higher. Arabian jasmine and Spanish jasmine root easily from stem cuttings and require only light pruning after flowering to maintain their shape. Jasminum grandiflorum is less winter hardy than Jasminum sambac. In cold climates, Jasminum sambac may die down to the ground, but will regrow from the roots in spring if you cover the plant with a thick layer of mulch.