Night Jessamine is an evergreen tropical shrub native to the West Indies and Central America that has become beloved worldwide for its intoxicating nocturnal fragrance. Hardy in zones 9-11, this plant reaches 3 to 13 feet tall with a similar spread, producing delicate, showy flowers that release their sweetest perfume after sunset. The slender, arching branches and lush foliage create a graceful, spreading habit that works beautifully as a hedge or specimen planting in warm climates.
Partial Sun
Moderate
9-11
156in H x 156in W
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High
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The fragrance is genuinely extraordinary, especially on warm evenings when the small tubular flowers open and perfume entire gardens with an almost overwhelming sweetness. Large temperature swings, particularly dramatic shifts from high to low, can actually diminish this fragrance, so consistent warmth brings out the best performance. Container-grown plants can be moved indoors for winter in cooler zones, though the indoor fragrance can be so potent it requires good air circulation.
Night Jessamine functions primarily as an ornamental shrub and hedge plant, valued for its fragrant flowers and attractive foliage rather than for any edible or culinary application. The plant is particularly useful as a privacy screen or backdrop planting in warm gardens, where its showy, night-blooming flowers create a romantic focal point for evening entertaining.
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Night Jessamine responds well to pruning and can be shaped to maintain a hedge form or controlled shrub size. Prune after flowering to encourage branching and fuller growth, or cut back more heavily in early spring before new growth emerges. The upright, spreading habit naturally benefits from regular pruning to prevent the plant from becoming too leggy or overgrown.
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“Cestrum nocturnum arrived in cultivation from its native range in the lowland thickets and disturbed areas of the West Indies, southern Mexico, and Panama, where it thrived in humid, tropical environments. Over centuries, it spread globally as an ornamental treasure, prized specifically for its nocturnal blooming habit and legendary fragrance. The plant has become so widely established in tropical and warm-temperate regions that it now appears in gardens from Asia to Africa to the Americas, though its vigor has led to it being classified as invasive in parts of Oceania including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and French Polynesia.”