Single-petal jasmine flowers
Jasmine plants are a symbol of peace and purity, used in many religious ceremonies around the world. This plant is predominately grown as a vine that attains 8 to 10 feet in length. Jasmines exude a beautiful fragrance and are excellent landscape plants, with delicate, white flowers and rich, green foliage.
History
Jasmine is the national flower of the Philippines, Indonesia and Pakistan.
Jasmine is a genus with more than 300 species which originated from Persia, China and India. Most of the flowers have beautiful fragrances from white, off-white or pale yellow flowers. Plants are hardy or tender, evergreen or deciduous shrubs, or climbers.
Jasmine plants are grown for their attractive fragrant flowers, both indoors and outdoors and for floral arrangements. Jasmine is extremely important to the perfume industry, with an annual world production of 12 to 15 tons. It's cultivated primarily in Egypt, Morocco and India, with smaller quantities coming from China, Italy and France.
Grafted plants that are 2 years of age are cropped for flowers in July through October. Flowers reach their peak fragrance (odoriferous molecule content) from August through September.
Cultivation
Jasmine flower buds
Cultivating jasmine is a simple process of planting semi-hard wood cuttings, softwood cuttings or layering. Cuttings should be planted 6 inches deep in well-drained soil that is composted to retain moisture. Healthy plants can be achieved with lots of sunshine, manure and frequent pruning.
They require a sturdy trellis for climbing and weeding on a regular basis. Jasmine plants should be fed phosphorous and potassium after the annual pruning and again in June and July. Pinching off the tips of the plants will increase lateral growth and not require as much pruning.
Tea
Different varieties of Jasmine blossoms come in yellow.
Jasmine flower tea is made from Jasminum sambac flowers, which are cultivated in Taiwan and the Fuiian Province in China. It is a mild tea that is refreshing and has many medicinal properties as well.
According to ILoveIndia.com, research and studies indicate that this type of tea has antioxidants that destroy free radicals that cause cancer and will slow the growth of cancer cells. It boosts the immune system and prevents accumulation of bad cholesterol.
Jasmine Oil
People enjoy refreshing tea made from leaves and petals.
Oil is extracted from fragrant blossoms and used in many different industries. It can be found in several perfumes, cosmetics and soaps. Processing pure essential oil from jasmine blossoms requires many flowers, making it very expensive and rare. The best oil is made from blossoms harvested during the evenings when the scent is at its strongest.
Jasmine oil is beneficial for skin problems, including sensitive skin, or dry, chapped or irritated conditions. The oil fragrance is often used in shampoos, creams and a variety of oil skin products.
Medicinal
Jasmine flowers are harvested at their peak for the perfume industry.
Flower buds help to treat eye disorders, skin diseases, boils, ulcers and remove intestinal worms. Jasmine oil is considered to be a calmative and an aphrodisiac. Roots are used to treat pain from broken bones and dislocated joints. Insomnia and headaches are also treated with jasmine roots.
Leaves and roots are used to treat coughs, sprains and muscle spasms. Labor pains, uterine disorders, nervous exhaustion and depression are all treated with jasminium species.
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