Pruning A Star Jasmine: Learn When To Cut Back Star Jasmine Plants

If you are lucky enough to have a star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) in your garden, you doubtless appreciate its generous growth, frothy white blossoms, and sweet fragrance. This vining plant is vibrant and energetic, foaming over supports, up trees, and along fences. Over time, however, trimming star jasmine becomes essential. If you are wondering how and when to cut back star jasmine, read on.

Trimming Star Jasmine

You love your star jasmine but it’s expanded too much and is growing out of control. Don’t worry. Cutting back star jasmines isn’t difficult and the plants recover quickly. You may want to start cutting back star jasmines on an annual basis to keep the plants within bounds. If you inherit a neglected plant, you may need to do severe pruning to get it back on a better track.

When to Cut Back Star Jasmine

Are you wondering when to cut back star jasmine? Although deciduous vines can be pruned while dormant, star jasmine is not deciduous. Star jasmine grows as an evergreen in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. However, its growth slows down during winter and early spring. Early spring is a good time to start pruning a star jasmine. This gives the plant enough time to start new growth and set flower buds for summer blooming. However, some experts prefer pruning just after flowering.

How to Prune Star Jasmine

The best way to start pruning star jasmine depends on the state of the plant. Is it wildly overgrown or just untidy? If the jasmine is growing on a support, you’ll need to detach and unravel the vines. At this point, it’s time to start pruning a star jasmine. If the plant is just a little overgrown, cut a few vines back by one-third, making slanted cuts just over a bud. If the vine is terribly overgrown, you can reduce each vine by one-half. Again, each cut should be made on the diagonal, just ahead of a bud. After pruning a star jasmine, pick up the cut pieces and dispose of them. You’ll need to attach the remaining vines to the support with ties. How to prune star jasmine used for groundcover? Pruning a star jasmine growing on the ground is easiest with a powered trimmer. Shear the entire plant to the height you prefer.