Crape Jasmine

Recently while visiting friends, I fell in love with a shrub. Unfortunately, the gardener was every bit as clueless as I was as to the shrub's common name, much less its scientific one.

Discouraged, but not defeated, I jotted down the essentials and vowed to report back to her as soon as I discovered its identity. I spent part of the next week taking long walks, surreptitiously glancing into strangers' gardens, but to no avail.

Armed with a single leaf, I hit four nurseries until I discovered a single magnificent specimen tucked away behind a giant mulch pile in an old family nursery. Unfortunately, my mystery shrub was to remain that way because the owner's children had not inherited their parents' horticultural inclinations. Since it was not priced or labeled, it was not for sale. I could, however, help myself to a cutting. Which I did, and gladly.

With my precious cutting at my side, I spent the next morning at the library leafing through the 3rd edition of Alfred B. Graf's groundbreaking work, Tropica. After four hours of perusing, I found my plant in full color on page 1096.

Crape Jasmine. Formerly called Ervatamia coronaria (and occasionally still seen under this name), now known more correctly as Tabernaemontana divaricata. I now understand why gardeners prefer its common name! http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/car...

This pretty shrub, indigenous to India, is cherished for its waxy white, fragrant flowers reminiscent of gardenias. The flower margins, wavy and softly undulating like crepe paper, give this shrub its common name.

Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami refers to it as Butterfly Gardenia. I have also seen it labeled as Paper Gardenia. Several forms have double or semi-double flowers. All are fragrant, with the scent being strongest in the evening.

'Flore Plena,' a choice cultivar with double flowers, must be propagated from cuttings. Species types all come true from seed; seeds are ready when the 2-inch long pods turn a bright red-orange. Seeds require warmth to germinate. Both seedlings and cuttings transplant easily.

Growing slowly to an ultimate height of 10 feet, this evergreen shrub can be readily pruned into a tree form and is thus an excellent choice for small town gardens.

Ideal as container specimens, several can be situated near eating areas or patios for maximum enjoyment. My friend nestled a few near her bedroom windows, where they imbued the thick night air with a delicious scent.

Since T. divaricata will bloom readily in full sun or in dappled high shade, gardeners may consider grouping several containers around the pool or lanai.

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