| Botanical Name | Jasminum mesnyi, Jasminum primulinum |
| Family | Oleaceae |
| Genus | Jasminum |
| Specie | mesnyi |
| Local Name in Urdu | Does not exist |
| Common Name | Primrose jasmine, yellow jasmine |
| Life Cycle | Evergreen foliage |
| Cultivar Name | Not applicable |
| Fragrant or Not | Not fragrant, see notes below |
| Category(Bush/Vine/Tree) | A spreading shrub |
| Height | 6-10 ft |
| Spacing | Can be grown closely (6-8 ft) |
| Flowering Months | Winter |
| Flower Color | Bright yellow with orange streaks in the center |
| Growing Areas | Extremely popular in Islamabad/ Pindi, not common in Karachi |
| Frost Tender | May tolerate frost |
| Exposure | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil pH | No specific issues |
| Propagation | Stem cuttings, whenever stems touch the ground, they grow roots, seeds are said to be sterile as claimed by Daves garden |
| Uses | Ornamental jasmine for winter blooms |
| Other Details | Jasminum mesnyi is one of the few plants which is named after a General. Gen. William Mesny happened to be a plant collector as well.* This jasmine is highly drought tolerant. It has long arching stems which appear like a fountain. In the winter we get a spectacular show of yellow flowers on these arching stems. Some sources claim that J. mesnyi is fragrant, however as confirmed by people in various parts of Pakistan and North America the flowers are not fragrant. Please see notes below by M. Ifzal. As can be seen in the pictures the flowers are unusually bright yellow with an orange throat. Old dried stems should be removed to maintain a healthy look |
Image courtesy of M. Khabbab
Notes added by Mr. Ifzal
There are 5 varieties of yellow Jasmine that I am aware of and generally I don't like giving information where I might be wrong but I have explained my reasoning behind it, so here goes.
Farook Sahib I concur it appears to be J. Mesyni due to double flowers, not born in clusters (as in J.Humile) and of larger size. It also appears to have 3 leaflets and not 3-7 (as in J. Humile). The only issue is the fragrance but that can be misleading as it depends on what level/comparison of fragrance is being referred to.
The smaller calyx lobes eliminate it from being J. Floridum.
The double flowers eliminate it from being J Fruticans.
J Nudinflorum too is of single yellow flowers and mainly cultivated in colder Europe climate, I have grown that variety several times.
Jasminum Humile L.- (Italian Yellow Jasmine), a medium-sized evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub with leaves composed of 3-7 oval leaflets, and mildly fragrant, bright yellow flowers 2.5cm in width, in clusters of 5-12
Jasminum Mesnyi Hance - (Japanese Jasmine, Primrose Jasmine, Yellow Jasmine). - A large, scrambling evergreen shrub with leaves formed of three oval leaflets, and semi-double, pale yellow flowers 4cm in width. The semi-double, mildly fragrant yellow flowers are solitary on sideshoots. They are about the same colour and size of a primrose hence its other name - Jasminum primulinum
Jasminum Floridum - with alternate leaves and fragrant yellow flowers with long narrow calyx lobes and acute corolla lobes. Like J. fruticans, the calyx lobes are long, exceeding the calyx tube, but the shape of the leaflets is distinct being broader in J. floridum and with an acute apex. It also resembles J. humile and especially the cultivar ‘Revolutum’ but the leaves never have more than 5 leaflets, usually only 3, and the calyx lobes are considerably longer.
Jasmimum Fruiticans - alternate leaves and small, fragrant single yellow flowers with narrow calyx lobes to 2 mm or more and rounded corolla lobes.
Jasminum Nudiflrorum - Northern Hemisphere winter jasmine flowers from November to March. The solitary flowers, often appearing on the bare stems (hence the Latin nudiflorum, literally "naked flower" have six petals and are bright yellow, or white, about 1 cm across