D.from a distance it might seem a forsythia with an earlier flowering, less copious and almost completely evergreen but up close it may recall the most common St. Joseph’s jasmine, also known as winter jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum.
Jasminum nudiflorum – Photo: Wikicommons
That shrub that we already saw in bloom a few weeks ago at Villa della Pergola in Alassio, but which will soon bloom in Lombardy too if the temperatures were to remain so mild (last Wednesday in Milan we reached 20 ° C!), Is a plant with long, thin and supple branches, non-climbing, with leaves composed of three lanceolate leaflets of which the central one is wider and, at the endfrom solitary semi-double flowers of a beautiful intense yellow reminiscent of those of primroses.
The primulin jasmine
So who is it? Of the beautiful primrose jasmine (Jasminum primulinum), also known as Mesny’s jasmine (Jasminum mesnyi) in honor of the botanist W. Mesny who, starting from 1879, herbalized in China.
Jasminum mesnyi at Villa della Pergola – Photo: LLeporati
Early flowering winter jasmine
Two early flowering jasmines, not self-supporting vines, not coiling around their supports ?! Well yes, because botany and strict rules rarely grow in the same flower bed.
Both species of Chinese origin, their bearing, flowers and leaves differ. Speaking of appearance, we can easily recognize the best known St. Joseph’s jasmine for its partially creeping posture which makes it suitable for planting on the top of a wall from which it will fall or on an escarpment that over time it will cover ‘walking’ thanks to the branches that they root easily when they touch the ground; the bearing of primulin jasmine is different, more erect, shrubby, it looks like a yellow fountain! Its branches are supple, less rigid than those of J. nudiflorum.
Flowers and cold resistance
And the flowers? these also help us to distinguish them because if primulin jasmine flowers are semi-doubleeven 5 cm in diameter, those of St. Joseph’s jasmine are simplewith only 6 well spread petals and only a few centimeters wide, usually 1-2.
Posture, flowers … but also leaves! Those of J. primulinum they are larger, tender and about 7 cm in length while those of J. nudiflorumonly 3 cm long, they are more pointed, leathery and of a more intense green.
What are these species missing? Perhaps having fragrant flowers, but they delight us with much more, first of all an ease of cultivation, low maintenance and exuberant development.
When you buy them, because we are sure that you too will want to light up your gardens or terraces with yellow, they will be long and supple branches but as they grow they will need space so as not to dominate the other plants: you have to choose well where to plant them.
One last aspect about cultivation, even in pots: J. nudiflorum it also grows well in the Alps, it does not fear frost, it can also withstand shade and resists up to -25 ° C while J. mesnyi it is more chilly, withstands a maximum of -10 ° C.
Where to buy winter jasmine
You can find them from:
Cascina Bollate
via Cristina Belgioioso, 120
20157 Milan (Mi)
cell. 331.2906448
[email protected]
www.cascinabollate.orgBound
reference: Susanna Magistretti
and, together with many other climbing plants, from
Nurseries Giani
via Fontanesi, 11
10153 Turin (To)
cell. 340.3427525
[email protected]
www.vivaigiani.itBound
reference: Fabio Giani
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