How to Grow Jasmine 'Inverleith'

Wikimedia Commons

Jasmine 'Inverleith'

Jasminum officinale 'Inverleith'

vine

Inverleith jasmine is a compact, variegated cultivar of common jasmine featuring green leaves with cream-white margins and intensely fragrant white flowers. This semi-evergreen climbing vine produces delicate, star-shaped blooms from summer through fall, releasing a sweet, intoxicating fragrance especially in evening hours. The variegated foliage provides year-round ornamental interest even when not flowering.

When should you plant Jasmine 'Inverleith' in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Jasmine 'Inverleith' timeline →

Example Jasmine 'Inverleith' timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Jasmine 'Inverleith'

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Jasmine 'Inverleith'

    Late summer into fall

    Before the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Jasmine 'Inverleith' dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun to partial shade; prefers 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for best flowering and variegation
💧
Water: Moderate watering; keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged during growing season. Reduce watering in winter. Drought-tolerant once established but flowers more profusely with regular moisture.
📏
Spacing: 12 inches
📅
Days to maturity: 120-180 days to first flowering from rooted cuttings; mature flowering vine in 2-3 years
🌱
Planting depth: Same depth as root ball; plant at soil level

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil
pH: 6.0-7.0
Amendments:
compost peat moss perlite for drainage organic matter

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 8-11; can survive zone 7b with winter protection

8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a

Sign up free to see if Jasmine 'Inverleith' grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.

Get my Jasmine 'Inverleith' timeline →

Growth Stages

1

Establishment

4-8 weeks

Young vine with variegated foliage developing 2-4 true leaf pairs; still establishing root system

Keep soil consistently moist, protect from strong winds, provide sturdy support structure early, avoid fertilizing heavily

2

Vegetative Growth

8-12 weeks

Vigorous stem and leaf development; vine grows 12-24 inches, variegated leaves become more pronounced

Train stems onto support structure, pinch tips to encourage branching, apply balanced fertilizer monthly during growing season

3

Bud Formation

3-4 weeks

Terminal buds develop at stem tips; small green flower buds form in leaf axils

Continue training vine, increase phosphorus-rich fertilizer (reduce nitrogen), maintain consistent moisture, avoid excessive pruning

4

Flowering

8-16 weeks (June-October)

Abundant star-shaped white flowers open, releasing intense sweet fragrance; flowers appear in clusters at branch tips

Maintain consistent moisture, deadhead spent flowers to extend blooming, reduce fertilizer, enjoy fragrance in evening hours

5

Post-Flowering & Dormancy

November-May

Flowers decline, foliage becomes semi-evergreen, growth slows significantly; variegated leaves persist through winter

Reduce watering, cease fertilizing, light pruning in late winter to maintain shape, provide winter protection in zone 8

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Avoid planting near:

dense shade-creating trees black walnut (juglone toxicity) plants requiring dry conditions

Common Pests

  • Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; increase humidity; strong water spray to dislodge mites

  • Remove with rubbing alcohol on cotton swab; spray neem oil; prune heavily infested stems

  • Hand-remove; spray dormant oil in late winter; apply horticultural oil or neem oil during growing season

  • Yellow sticky traps; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage natural predators

  • Strong water spray; insecticidal soap; neem oil; encourage ladybugs and lacewings

Uses

🏠

Fragrance and Perfumery

Household

Jasmine flowers are prized for their intensely sweet, intoxicating evening fragrance and are a key ingredient in fine perfumes, colognes, and scented products. The 'Inverleith' cultivar produces abundant flowers perfect for capturing natural fragrance throughout summer and fall. [source]

🎨

Floral Arrangements and Cut Flowers

Craft

Delicate white flower sprigs are excellent for fresh bouquets, wedding arrangements, and table decorations, adding elegance and sweet fragrance. The variegated foliage also provides attractive greenery for floral compositions. [source]

💊

Traditional Herbal Medicine

Medicinal

Jasmine flowers and leaves have been used in traditional medicine, particularly in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, for relaxation, skin health, and mood support. Modern aromatherapy values jasmine essential oil for its calming and uplifting properties. [source]

🦋

Pollinator Support

Wildlife

The abundant evening-blooming flowers attract moths, including hawkmoths, and various night-flying insects. Jasmine is an excellent addition to wildlife gardens supporting nocturnal pollinators. [source]

🏠

Ornamental Garden Structure

Household

As a semi-evergreen variegated vine, 'Inverleith' provides year-round visual interest when trained on trellises, pergolas, arbors, or fences, softening hardscapes while offering seasonal fragrant flowers. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Jasmine is not harvested for food but flowers can be cut for fragrance and floral arrangements. Snip flower sprigs in early morning when fragrance is strongest, just as flowers fully open. Cut stems above a leaf node. Flowers last 1-2 days in water but release fragrance throughout duration.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Jasmine flowers open in late afternoon and release their most intense fragrance in the evening and night hours, attracting night-flying pollinators like hawkmoths.
  • 🌱 The 'Inverleith' cultivar was selected for its variegated foliage and more compact growth habit compared to the species, making it ideal for smaller garden spaces and containers.
  • 🌱 Jasmine has been cultivated for over 2,000 years and is featured prominently in Middle Eastern and Asian gardens; it holds cultural significance in many regions and is the national flower of Pakistan and Indonesia.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Jasmine 'Inverleith' planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Jasmine 'Inverleith' seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Jasmine 'Inverleith' timeline →