Jasminum nudiflorum

Jasminum nudiflorum, commonly known as winter jasmine, produces small, bright yellow flowers that typically appear from late winter to early spring, often before the leaves emerge.

The flowers are small and yellow, appearing anywhere from December to March – among the first flowers to break the long grey winter days.

The stems are green and flexible, allowing the plant to cascade or scramble over supports – a lovely solution for a dreary corner or a fence that lacks a bit of je-ne-sais-quoi.

The leaves are trifoliate, appearing after the flowering period, and turn a soft green during the growing season.

Its bare-stem blooms create a dramatic contrast with the dormant landscape, bringing early color to our grey gardens and nectar to early pollinators .

👨‍🌾GARDENING TIPS👨‍🌾 : Jasminum nudiflorum

• • Full sun
  • Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
  • The plant is valued for its ability to form cascading growth over walls, trellises, and slopes, making it both ornamental and practical for erosion control.
  • Its growth habit is fast, and it can cover large areas quickly > good for walls/slopes/embankments
  • Looks great with Helleborus, Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue’

Learn more about gardening with Winter Jasmine:

• • ENG: Caring for Winter Jasmine
  • ENG: Plant Pick: Winter Jasmine
  • FR: Jardiner avec le jasmin d’hiver

The Tales & The Botany: Jasminum nudiflorum

Winter jasmine is often one of the first flowering plants of the year in temperate gardens, signaling the imminent arrival of spring.

Jasminum nudiflorum belongs to the family Oleaceae, which also includes olives, lilacs, and forsythias.

It is a deciduous, vigorous climbing or arching shrub that can reach 2–3 meters in height and spread up to 2 meters wide.

Native to China, winter jasmine has been cultivated in Europe for centuries as a hardy ornamental shrub capable of flowering in the depths of winter.

The plant propagates easily through semi-hardwood cuttings taken in summer or autumn, and it can also be layered along its trailing stems to form new plants.

Its growth habit is fast, and it can cover large areas quickly if left unmanaged, making it suitable for slopes, embankments, and trellises.

Floral Morphology

Each flower has five narrow petals arranged in a star-like shape, giving it a delicate and cheerful appearance against bare stems.

The flowers are usually solitary or appear in small clusters along the arching green stems.

They are not strongly fragrant, unlike many other jasmine species, but their vivid color provides a striking visual display during the grey winter months.

Ecology

Winter jasmine thrives in well-drained soils and tolerates a wide range of light conditions, from full sun to partial shade.

It is hardy in USDA zones 6–9 and withstands cold winters, although flowers may be reduced after particularly harsh frosts.

Its early flowering provides an important nectar source for bees and other early-emerging pollinators.

The plant’s dense, trailing stems help prevent soil erosion and provide microhabitats for small insects.

While not invasive, its vigorous growth and rapid spread can make it dominant in garden settings if not periodically pruned.

Other Names

Winter Jasmine

Origin

China