Name: Jasminum polyanthum aka pink jasmine, white jasmine or winter jasmine

Type of Plant:  A fast growing vine or climbing plant that flowers in December or January and is hardy in zones 8-10, but is sold as a greenhouse or seasonal houseplant in colder areas.

Why I Love This Plant:  This is a plant that brings flowers and fragrance into your house in January or early February, even in the coldest climates. Many garden centers have this plant for sale at this time of year, and it’s a lift-your-heart and perfume-your-room plant.

A Word to the Wise: Yes, you could keep this alive indoors through the winter and outside in the summer. Just know that it’s the decreasing hours of daylight and the cooler temperatures that promote flowering in the future. If you want to grow this on, you’ll need to leave it outdoors in the shorter days of fall-into-winter, but bring the plant inside into a cool location before frost.

My take is that it’s a great perfume-your-home plant in January and February, but possible to thank it for coming and then say goodbye in March.

White, fragrant flowers in the winter. That’s why we love Jasminum polyanthum at this time of year.

Those who live in northern California are lucky to have this as an outdoor, winter-flowering vine. But in colder climates, we appreciate this plant as a fragrant, seasonal, indoor mood-liftter.