Red Night Blooming Jasmine Live Plant – Cestrum Shrub – 5-8″ Tall

Overview

Introduce a touch of exotic beauty to your landscape with the captivating red night blooming jasmine live plant. This exquisite live plant, often referred to as a crimson jasmine shrub, is an arching, perennial evergreen known for its dramatic and fragrant blooms. Measuring approximately 5-8 inches tall upon arrival, this starter plant will grow into a magnificent bush, gracing your garden with its unique charm. The ‘Newell’s Red’ variety of Cestrum is celebrated for its deep crimson-red, tubular flowers that are tightly clustered, creating a spectacular display from spring through fall. Beyond its stunning flowers, this plant also produces ornamental berries, adding multi-seasonal interest to your outdoor space. Ideal for zones 9-11, this shrub is a fantastic choice for gardeners seeking a distinctive and rewarding addition to their collection.

The botanical name for this plant is Cestrum elegans, though it is widely known as red night blooming jasmine live plant, red Cestrum, or crimson jasmine. While not a true jasmine, its intoxicating fragrance, particularly in the evenings, gives it its common name. This robust shrub is relatively easy to care for and can quickly establish itself, providing a lush backdrop or a focal point in your garden design. Its velvety, gray-green leaves offer an attractive contrast to the bright red blooms, making it a visual delight even when not in full flower. Prepare to be enchanted by the beauty and allure of this remarkable Cestrum plant.

Key Benefits

Adding the red night blooming jasmine live plant to your garden offers a multitude of benefits, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and ecological value. This plant is a true garden workhorse, providing continuous interest and beauty throughout the growing season.

• Stunning Visual Appeal: The vibrant crimson-red, tubular flowers are truly eye-catching, creating a bold statement in any garden. These tightly clustered blooms offer a consistent splash of color from spring to fall, ensuring your garden remains lively and attractive for months.
• Fragrant Blooms: While the name suggests night blooming, the fragrance is often most noticeable in the evening, adding a delightful sensory experience to your outdoor evenings. Many find the scent of this crimson jasmine shrub to be sweet and alluring.
• Ornamental Berries: Following the beautiful blossoms, the plant produces attractive ornamental berries. These add another layer of visual interest, extending the plant’s decorative value beyond its flowering period and providing food for local wildlife.
• Evergreen Foliage: As an evergreen shrub, it maintains its velvety, gray-green leaves year-round in suitable climates, providing continuous structure and color even during dormant periods for other plants. This makes it an excellent choice for consistent garden beauty.
• Attracts Pollinators: The bright flowers are a beacon for hummingbirds and other beneficial pollinators, contributing to the health and biodiversity of your garden ecosystem. Enjoy watching these fascinating creatures visit your red flowering jasmine.
• Versatile Landscaping: Its arching growth habit and mature size make it suitable for various landscaping uses, including as a specimen plant, in mixed borders, or even as an informal hedge. It adapts well to different garden styles.
• Hardy & Resilient: Thriving in USDA Zones 9-11, this plant is known for its resilience and ability to withstand a range of conditions once established, making it a relatively low-maintenance option for many gardeners.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your red night blooming jasmine live plant is straightforward, ensuring a vibrant and healthy shrub that will flourish in your garden. This resilient plant, also known as cestrum plant care, requires specific conditions to reach its full potential, producing abundant crimson blooms and attractive berries. Understanding its needs will help you cultivate a stunning specimen.

When it comes to sunlight, the Red Night Blooming Jasmine thrives in full sun to partial shade. For the most prolific flowering, aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It can tolerate filtered sun and even some partial shade, especially in hotter climates where afternoon sun can be intense. However, too much shade may result in fewer flowers and a leggy growth habit. Good air circulation is also beneficial to prevent fungal issues. The plant prefers well-draining soil. A rich, loamy soil amended with organic matter is ideal. Avoid heavy clay soils that retain too much water, as this can lead to root rot. Regular watering is crucial, especially during dry spells and in its first year of establishment. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Once established, it can tolerate short periods of drought but will perform best with regular hydration. Mulching around the base can help retain soil moisture and regulate soil temperature.

This red flowering jasmine is hardy in USDA Zones 9-11. In these zones, it behaves as an evergreen. In cooler parts of zone 9, it might experience some dieback in winter but will usually rebound from the roots in spring. Protect young plants from frost if unexpected cold snaps occur. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer formulated for flowering shrubs. Reapply in mid-summer if needed, following product instructions. Pruning can be done after the main flush of blooms in late spring or early summer to maintain shape, encourage bushier growth, and promote more flowers. Remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches. Pests are generally not a major issue, but keep an eye out for aphids or spider mites, especially in dry conditions. Treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap if necessary. Proper night blooming jasmine outdoor care ensures a spectacular display.

Size & Details

Your red night blooming jasmine live plant will arrive as a starter plant, typically measuring 5-8 inches tall. These young plants are ready to be transplanted into your garden or a larger container. They are shipped without a pot, with their roots carefully protected for transit, ensuring a healthy start in their new home. This Cestrum shrub is known for its vigorous growth. At maturity, it can reach an impressive height of 8-10 feet and spread equally wide, forming a substantial bush. Its arching branches contribute to its graceful, somewhat informal appearance. The growth rate is considered moderate to fast under optimal conditions, meaning you won’t have to wait long to enjoy its full beauty.

The plant’s ornamental berries follow the crimson-red flowers, providing extended interest. While the exact time to first bloom can vary depending on planting conditions and regional climate, healthy young plants typically begin flowering within their first year or two after establishment. This plant is a long-lived perennial, offering many years of enjoyment with proper care. It is an excellent choice for creating a striking visual impact in your garden, whether used as a standalone specimen or integrated into a mixed planting. The 5-8 inch tall starter plant provides a strong foundation for a thriving crimson jasmine shrub.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: The red night blooming jasmine live plant is an arching shrub that typically reaches a mature height of 8-10 feet and a mature width of 8-10 feet, creating a substantial and beautiful presence in the garden.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This is primarily an outdoor plant, thriving in USDA Zones 9-11. While it can be grown in containers and brought indoors in colder climates, it generally performs best as a night blooming jasmine outdoor specimen.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For optimal growth and flowering, the Red Night Blooming Jasmine prefers full sun to partial sun, ideally receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It can tolerate some shade but may produce fewer flowers.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: You will receive a healthy starter plant, approximately 5-8 inches tall. It will be shipped without a pot, with its roots carefully prepared and protected to ensure a safe journey and successful transplanting.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the cestrum plant care is considered relatively easy. Once established, it is quite hardy and resilient, requiring consistent watering and occasional fertilization and pruning to maintain its shape and promote abundant blooms.
• Q: How long until it blooms? A: With good care and suitable growing conditions, young red flowering jasmine plants often begin to bloom within their first year or two after planting. The flowering period extends from spring through fall.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: This plant is hardy in USDA Zones 9-11. In these zones, it is an evergreen. In the cooler parts of Zone 9, it may experience some foliar dieback during winter but typically recovers from the roots in spring.
• Q: Can I grow this plant in a container? A: Yes, the Red Night Blooming Jasmine can be successfully grown in a large container, especially if you are in a colder zone and wish to move it indoors during winter. Ensure the container has excellent drainage.
• Q: Does this plant attract hummingbirds? A: Absolutely! The vibrant, tubular, crimson-red flowers of the crimson jasmine shrub are very attractive to hummingbirds, making it a wonderful addition for wildlife enthusiasts.
• Q: What type of soil does it prefer? A: This plant thrives in well-draining, rich, loamy soil. Amending heavy soils with organic matter will improve drainage and provide essential nutrients for healthy growth.