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Star Jasmine - Wikipedia
| Duration: Perennial, Evergreen | Origination: China | Edibility: Not described as edible | Status in Yard: Suppressed but persisting |
When I moved in to this house in May, 2013, Star jasmine covered all of the back fence and parts of both side fences, as well as a wavy patch on the ground from one side fence to the other, up to about three feed deep against the back fence. I systematically removed all of it, but it still lives in the space behind my wood privacy fence, so I have never been able to remove it completely. I just yank up whatever I can every six months or so.
When I was looking to buy the house and first walked into the back yard, the star jasmine was very tidy in its space. However, when it isn't regularly manicured, it can crawl all over the place, putting down roots and covering the entire yard. The plant, an ornamental from far east Asia, works best in areas surrounded by concrete or other plant-unfriendly material, such as in a small green space in front of an office building.
The small flowers on the vine smell wonderful, but that's only a few weeks per year. I aggressively remove it because I want to create a space with native plants for myself and the other non-human life that manages to survive in the neighborhood. I also need to make room for my garden.
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Star jasmine flowers on April 25, 2014
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