Cestrum nocturnum

The Night-blooming Jasmine, or Night Jasmine, in Latin Cestrum nocturnum, is a bush that releases its intense lime and jasmine scent as soon as night falls. Its summer flowering, while not spectacular, indeed exhales one of the most captivating fragrances in the plant kingdom. Its clusters of delicate greenish flowers bloom abundantly on flexible stems, adorned with elegant foliage. Originating from the Antilles and Central America, this bush loves warmth and dreads the cold. Outside of our mildest regions, it can be cultivated in a large pot that will be wintered like a citrus.

Cestrum nocturnum belongs to the Solanaceae family, just like Daturas, Solanums, and tomatoes. It is a bush of subtropical climates, with foliage that theoretically persists in winter. The above-ground vegetation is destroyed at 0°C, but the stump is capable of regrowing after a brief freeze of around -5°C. The plant initially has an upright habit, then becomes more flexible and open, supported by slightly arched stems. With rapid growth, the night-blooming jasmine reaches about 2m (6ft 7in) in height and 1.80m (5ft 11in) in width when planted in the ground, but maintains more modest dimensions in a pot. The alternate arranged leaves are simple, lanceolate, glossy, and a beautiful bright green on top, lighter underneath. They measure between 6 and 20cm (2.4 and 7.9in). Flowering occurs from summer until early autumn, between July and September-October, depending on the climate and growing conditions. The flowers emerge in terminal clusters and in the axils of the leaves. The clusters are slightly trailing, measuring between 10 and 20cm (3.9 and 7.9in) long. Each flower, green in colour, has the shape of a small tube that opens into a star at its tip. After pollination, small round berries of white colour form. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested.

The Night-blooming Jasmine is capable of perfuming the entire garden on summer nights, and its scent is often perceived well beyond its boundaries. It should be placed in a sheltered bed or against a sunny wall in favourable climates. Elsewhere, it should be cultivated in a pot so that it can be wintered in a conservatory or in a slightly heated greenhouse, protected from frost. It is not demanding in terms of soil, as long as it is fertile and not too dry in spring and summer. In a garden in the Mediterranean or south Atlantic coastal region, this charming plant will pair very well with Cape Leadwort, an Oleander, or even a Chinese Abelia. A simple bouquet in a glass of water, placed in darkness, will perfume the entire house. Fans of oriental scents will also appreciate Jasmine Sambac,  Gardenia, and the tuberose.