Jasmine: A Flower That Works at Night
Jasmine is a climbing shrub with intensely fragrant flowers. Many species release their scent after dark, which is when their pollinators fly.
Jasmine is a climbing or trailing shrub grown for its small white or yellow flowers and their scent. Several species save the fragrance for the evening: their pollinators are moths, so the perfume arrives when the light goes. The name travelled from Persian into most European languages, and so did the plant.
- A fragrant climbing shrub. *Jasmine over the doorway.*
- The scent of it. *Notes of jasmine and citrus.*
- Jasmine tea — green tea scented with the flowers. *A pot of jasmine tea.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | jasmine | White jasmine. |
| Plural | jasmines | Several jasmines. |
| Variant | jessamine | Carolina jessamine. |
| Related | jasmine rice | Fragrant jasmine rice. |
| Related | perfume | A jasmine perfume. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Jasmine covers the whole south wall.A vigorous climber.
- The scent is strongest after sunset.True of night-blooming species.
- Jasmine tea is scented with the fresh flowers.Layered with tea leaves overnight.
Fragrant garden climbers
- Jasmine — small starry flowers, powerful evening scent
- Honeysuckle — tubular flowers, also scented at night
- Wisteria — hanging racemes, scented in late spring
- Star jasmine — a different genus with a similar perfume
- Sweet pea — an annual climber grown for scent and cutting
Through Old French and Arabic from Persian *yasamin*. The plant and the word travelled together along the same trade routes, which is why the name is recognisable across Europe and Asia.
Is jasmine rice made with jasmine?
No. It is named for its aroma, which some people compare to the flower. The plant is not involved.
Why is the scent stronger at night?
Because the flowers are pollinated by night-flying insects, so they release their fragrance when those insects are active.