Japanese name: ソケイ（素馨） Scientific name:Jasminum officinale
[Overview]
A nearly hairless, climbing evergreen shrub.
The branches are ridged.
The leaves are opposite and pinnately compound with 7–9 leaflets; the bases of the upper lateral leaflets tend to be winged and run down the rachis.
The flowers are borne 5–6 in umbel-like clusters at the branch tips.
The flowers are white, 3.5 cm across, salverform, and the corolla lobes are ovate-round, in 5 lobes.
[Uses]
The flowers have a strong fragrance; flowers just after opening are collected and an essential oil is extracted, which is used as jasmine flower essential oil.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It prefers a sunny site and sandy soil.
It is vigorous but somewhat susceptible to cold, and the tips of the branches may die back in winter.
