Jasminum sambac vs Gardenia jasminoides

Jasmine is not Just Jasmine

Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the Oleaceae family, with about 200 species, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. 

The most famous is probably Jasminum sambac, the Arabian jasmine.  Despite its English common name, J. sambac is not originally native to Arabia.  It was from South and S.E. Asia, and were spread into Arabia.  From there, they were introduced to Europe. 

Jasminum sambac

Family : Oleaceae

Common name : Arabian Jasmine, 茉莉花

Description : evergreen shrub, flower : white, fragrant, clusters, zygomorphic, multiple petals, full bloom at night

Origin : South Asia, S.E.Asia

Uses : ornamental, jasmine tea, national flowers of the Philippine & Indonesia, leis, corsages, crowns

The word 'jasmine' also loosely refers to many other flowers not of Jasminum genus or Oleaceae family.  

Cestrum nocturnum

Family : Solanaceae

Common name : Night-blooming Jasmine, lady of the Night, 夜来香，夜香木

Description : evergreen woody shrub, flower : greenish-white, cymose inflorescences, zygomorphic, tubular corolla 5 lobed, full bloom at night

Origin : tropical America

Uses : ornamental

Gardenia jasminoides

Family : Rubiaceae

Common name : Cape Jasmine, Common Gardenia, 栀子花

Description : evergreen woody shrub, flower : white, fragrant, solitary, zygomorphic, multiple petals

Origin : Asia

Uses : depicted in Chinese paintings, fruit for Chinese traditional medicine & dye, ornamental

Gelsemium sempervirens

Family : Gelsemiaceae

Common name : Yellow Jasmine, Carolina Jasmine, Evening Trumpet flower, Woodbine

Description : evergreen liana, flower : yellow, fragrant, clusters, zygomorphic, bell-shaped, corolla 5 lobed

Origin : tropical America

Uses : ornamental, toxic, state flower of South Carolina

Millingtonia hortensis

Family : Bignoniaceae

Common name : Tree Jasmine, Indian Cork Tree, 烟筒花

Description : evergreen tree, flower : white, fragrant, panicles, bisexual, zygomorphic, long tube, corolla 5 lobed

Origin : S.E.Asia

Uses : wood for timber, bark for cork, leaves for tobacco substitute

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis

Family : Oleaceae

Common name : Night Flowering Jasmine, Coral Jasmine

Description : evergreen shrub, flower : white with orange-red center, fragrant, cluster of 2-7, zygomorphic, 5-8 lobed, full bloom at night

Origin : Southern Asia

Uses : Ayurvedic medicine

Trachelospermum jasminoides

Family : Apocynaceae

Common name : Star Jasmine, Confederate Jasmine, Trader’s Compass, 络石 , 百花藤

Description : evergreen liana, flower : white, fragrant, clusters, zygomorphic, tube-liked, corolla 5 lobed

Origin : East Asia

Uses : ornamental

Jasminum sambac - Melur 茉莉花

Jasminum sambac, is a shrubby flower native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World, of the Oleaceae ( olive ) family. The name Jasmine derived from the Persian yasmin, of which means 'gift from god'. The botanic name sambac is derived from a misapplication of the Sanskrit name champaca, which refers to the fragrant flowered shrub Michelia champaca.

The Jasminum family consists of some 200 species, loosely known as jasmines. It is also known as jasmin ( Portugal ), jasmine ( France ), pikake / pikaki ( Hawaii ). mallipu ( Tamil ), mogra ( Hindi ), sanoagyuta ( Tagalog ) , mallika ( Sanskrit ), melati ( Indonesia, Malaysia ), melur ( Malaysia ), and 茉莉花 ( China ). 

Cultivated species includes J. abyssinicum ( forest jasmine ), J. adenophyllum ( pinwheel jasmine ), J. cichotomum ( Gold Coast jasmine ), J. grandiflorum ( Spanish jasmine ), J. humile ( Italian yellow jasmine ), J. mesnvi ( Japanese jasmine ), J. odoratissimum ( yellow jasmine ), J. officinale ( common jasmine ) J. parkeri ( dwart jasmine ) and J. polyantum.

Jasminum sambac ( Arabian jasmine ) is among the most popularly cultivated jasmine flower. It is native to southwestern and southern Asia. Cultivated as an ornamental plant for its strongly scented flowers, it is an evegreen shrub, capable to reach 3m in height. The leaves are simple, opposite, ovate, 4 - 12.5cm long and 2 - 7.5cm broad. The fowers are white, strongly scented, in clusters of 3 - 12, corolla 2 - 3m diameter with 5 - 9 lobes. The flowers open at night and close in the morning. The fruit is a purple-black berry, 1 cm in diameter.

In China, J. sambac is consumed as jasmine-flower tea ( 茉莉花茶 ). The flowers also mixed with green tea to make jasmine tea ( 香片 ).

In the Philippines and Indonesia, the J. sambac was adopted as their national flower.

In many countries, including, Hawaii, the Philippines, and India, the J. sambac flower is made into leis, corsages, crowns for welcoming guests, and as garlands on women’s hair.

The Hindus and Buddhist often use the flower as an offering to their deities.

Even though jasmine is loosely refers to the flowers of Jasminum genus, it also refers to other genus of scented flowers :

Trachelospermon jasmioides - Star Jasmin 络石 – ( Apocynaceae )

Gardenia jasminoides - Cape Jasmin 梔子 – ( Rubiaceae )

Gelsemium sempervirens - Carolina Jasmine – ( Gelsemiaceae )

Millingtonia hortensis - Tree Jasmine – ( Bignoniaceae )

Nyctanthes arbo-tristis - Night-flowering Jasmin – ( Lamiaceae )

Cestrum nocturnum - Night-blooming Jasmin 夜來香  - ( Solanaceae )