Tabernaemontana divaricataCrepe Jasmine

Neat, rounded and reliably dense, Tabernaemontana divaricata is one of the most useful evergreen shrubs in tropical landscape work. The glossy dark green leaves are strongly veined, and waxy white pinwheel flowers appear against them almost continuously, scenting the air after dark.

It holds a clean two to three metre form with very little pruning and takes clipping well, which makes it equally suitable as a specimen, a mass planting or a formal hedge.

Specifications

• Height1.5 to 3 metres, occasionally to 4 metres
• Width1.5 to 2.5 metres
• Native toIndia, southern China and Southeast Asia
• FoliageGlossy dark green elliptic leaves with prominent veining; evergreen, with milky sap
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilPrefers fertile, moist, free-draining soils
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterModerate; needs regular irrigation to flower well
• ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions; frost sensitive

Additional Features

• FlowersWaxy white pinwheel flowers, single or double, scented at night and near continuous in warm climates
• UsesFormal and informal hedging, mass shrub planting, entrance and courtyard specimens, median planting
• SpacingPlant 1.0 to 1.5 metres apart for a hedge, 1.5 to 2 metres for informal massing
• Low MaintenanceHolds a neat rounded form naturally and needs only occasional shaping
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust; scale appears where airflow is poor
• ToxicityThe milky sap is an irritant and the plant should not be treated as edible
• VersatilityWorks as a clipped hedge, a free-standing specimen or a low mass

Crepe Jasmine is the dependable evergreen shrub for tropical hedging and massing where a clean form and night scent are both wanted.