Jasminum multipartitum (African Jasmine)

Jasminum multipartitum, the starry wild jasmine, African jasmine, or imfohlafohlane, is a species of jasmine, in the family Oleaceae, that is native to Southern Africa. This is a very rewarding plant with sweetly scented, white, waxy flowers displayed against glossy, dark green foliage. Consider it a 'must-have' in every garden.

This is a large, scrambling, mostly evergreen plant that makes a fine show in the garden. If encouraged, it will climb up to 3 m, although not very strongly, and is best used as a shrub of up to 1.5 m high. It is medium- to fast-growing.

Bright green, rather shiny leaves form an attractive background to the star-shaped, fragrant flowers. Closed flower buds are pink- or red-tinted. The corolla lobes of the large, single flowers are pure white when open, and the corolla tubes are coloured pink/maroon. The relatively large (40 mm across) flowers are borne in profusion from early spring to summer, August to January. They have a delicate perfume during the day that becomes markedly stronger in the evening and at night. The fruit consists of twin berries, although sometimes only one develops. They are shiny green until fully grown and then turn to a shiny, bluish-black colour. There is usually one quite large seed in each berry, and the dark, plum-coloured flesh is very juicy.