Trachelospermum

Carrying on from yesterday we also grow a lot of Trachelospermum species and varieties and these too cause confusion. There are two species; T. asiaticum has smaller leaves, creamy flowers and is hardier (Z7) than T. jasminoides (Z8) Which has white flowers and is more fragrant. Easy to follow so far, but both species have a form called ‘Majus’ with larger leaves than the type, so that T. asiaticum ‘Majus’, which is our most popular form, has leaves not much smaller than the type T. jasminoides. T.j. Wilsonii has distinct veins on small narrow leaves and the whole plant turns red in winter. T.j ‘Variegata’ is strongly white variegated to the extent that you hardly see the flowers, but you can still smell them. Trachelospermum are the same family as Vincas (Apocynaceae) which you appreciate when they set the same odd, long cylindrical fruit (and they have the same sticky white sap). T. asiaticum ‘Majus’ was once considered a species in its own right but was lumped into T. asiaticum because it has the same coloured flowers. I am not convinced.