| Jasminum angulare | ||
 |
 |
 |
| This is a splendid species which originates from temperate South Africa. It seems more of a spreading/scandent shrub than a climber but is unable to be grown as an evergreen self supporting shrub and is an ideal wall climber and will ‘adjust’ itself against a wall with the greatest of ease. The plant is composes of delicate looking compound leaves which usually have between 3 to 5 elongated and lobed leaflets per leaf. The foliage has a mid green when grown in good light/sun and obviously darker green when grown in shade conditions. It is certainly not the easiest species to grow in the garden and can be stubborn to get going if things are not to its liking. It is however in my opinion 100% hardy but will become deciduous below -4c/25f and will suffer die back if in a less than ideal position e.g. windy unprotected fence. However the plant will remain evergreen below -5 and happily frozen solid if afforded a position such as the corner of a sunny wall where its exposure to the elements is lessened. It is good enough in my opinion to be grown in a cold conservatory in Northern countries and indeed was growing in a derelict Victorian fruit/vine house with hardly a glass pane undamaged when I first encountered it in Southern England. This collection seems head and shoulders above many others I have seen and heard about as some collections of J.angulare have no fragrance. This can definitely not be said about this plant and it has huge appeal regarding its scent which is more powerful than many species and places it in the top 5 species of Jasmines for scent. One more point in its favour is that it flowers in mid summer in a main show that covers the entire plant with blossoms which amplifies the fragrance over a much wider area and reigns supreme in the garden/conservatory(even more so) for the 3-4 weeks while it holds court. Afterwards there are successions of smaller flowerings which are very welcome. Another point in its favour is its size which is not too big. At maturity it will cover a small interior wall 10ft/3M by 8ft/2.5M. The flowers themselves are much bigger than Jasminum polyanthum for example and have a very long tube and broad ‘face’ with which to show of it’s very heady scent. Identification of Jasminum angulare when not in flower is easy as the reverse of the leaves should have two little hairy ‘tufts’ at the base of the compound leaf (in fact they are glands). It should be mentioned that there is a huge amount of variation within material collected from the wild and there are many distinct forms in cultivation. It has been grown in England for over 100 years and in the USA since 1922(San Diego Ca). This may shed some light on the fact that there are non fragrant forms in circulation, but as I mentioned in my preamble nothing gets a cooler reception from me than a non fragrant white flower unless it has some remarkable structure. The other point which ties in nicely with my pointing out about the hairs on the back of the leaf is that some collections are very ‘pubescent’ or hairy and indeed I have a collection of a seedling that is totally hairy and is known as Jasminum angulare var.glabratum although there Is some debate about this within botanical circles as to whether degrees of hairiness warrant a botanical variety. Bearing in mind it originates from South Africa it should remembered that this is ideally not for the cold garden and although I have no doubt that the material we offer will survive to the degree indicated it needs warmth and good light intensity to flower. The crucial point seems to be that it needs warmth early on in spring to initiate growth and flowering contained within the new shoots. It detests tropical heat and humidity as a rule and one plant we kept in the tropical house hardly grew and flowered. It obviously needs a four season climate or at least a cool rest period of dormancy to flower well which is to my mind why it should be grown more widely in mild European locations and have no doubt that it should do well here near Bordeaux outside against a wall as long as the wall provides adequate protection. It is as well to remember that a substantial wall can offer 4c degrees or more of frost protection and more regarding wind chill protection compared with open exposed ground a mere few feet away and makes the difference between thriving and sulking. |