Star Jasmine, or something different? (Zone 6A)

[statiusx]

Hello Everyone,

I'm a relatively new homeowner and a newbie gardener. I've been working on my backyard slowly. I live in Columbus, Ohio, and the Columbus Conservatory grows Star Jasmine. It smells wonderful and looks amazing. I've got a backyard that's approximately 60'x58' and wanted to grow something horizontally across the fence or on trellises.

I've read Star Jasmine is a woody vine, and isn't a great idea to put on a fence. Is that accurate?

I've also read Winter Jasmine is a bit hardier for our zone (6A) but doesn't have as strong a scent. How faint is it?

Is there an alternative vine that has a similar scent that'll be noticeable in a backyard my size that isn't a woody vine? Is there something also hardier that might last all year?

Thank you,

Jonathan

 

[Tetters]

Welcome to the forum Jonathan
Star Jasmine (Trachylospermum jasminoides) is in my opinion one of the best climbers to put on a fence - so I think you have made an excellent choice. It is fairly slow growing and quite hardy. The winter Jasmine is a shrubby plant which is good against a wall - it doesn`t twine as well and suckers quite freely - I have just finished hard pruning one of mine. The flowers are yellow and it makes a lovely winter display but has no perfume to speak of.

A small rambling rose would possibly make a nice companion plant for the Trachylospermum.

 

[Marck]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

The previous post is not correct. Star-jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is NOT winter-hardy in USDA Zone 6a (lows of -10º F/-23º C). The Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio grows Star-jasmine inside a glass house.

For a graceful, deciduous vine with wonderfully fragrant, white flowers in late Summer and early Fall, choose either the Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) or the Fragrant Virgin's Bower (Clematis flammula). Both of these fine Clematis are completely hardy in Zone 6a. While both vines are similar, Clematis terniflora, native to China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and far-eastern Russia can grow somewhat larger than Clematis flammula, which is native to southern Europe, northern Africa, Anatolia, Levant, the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.