What Is This Houseplant?

Catherine
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January 31, 20160 found this helpful

Hello ! Your boss could be right. The leaves look like the ones of a Sambac jasmine also called Arabian jasmine I hope you will succeed saving it as its bloom is incredibly fragrant. I have got one and it has some bad times here in my flat with a weather which is very different from the one of its native India but it is strong. There are different types of Sambac Jasminum like the Belle of India, Grand Duke of Toscany and Maid of Orleans. Yours could be Mysore Mulli which leaves have a lighter tone of green. Mine is a Maid of Orleans and it has very dark green leaves.

Catherine
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 131 Feedbacks

January 31, 20160 found this helpful

Me again ! Is it snow I see on the picture ? If it is it means that the days are short at the moment in your place so the Sambac is having a rest. It is not the time to water it and you should be careful with draft or the plant being too close to a cold window as a drop of temperature can kill it. You should wait until the days are longer to start watering and using a very small quantity of very slow release fertilizer. It stands dryness but not overwatering when it is 'hibernating'.

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February 1, 20160 found this helpful

Thank you Catherine. Yes, I am at 53 degrees North so we don't get very long days up here in winter. I have moved the plant to a brighter window and our house is kept between 16 and 20 degrees (60-66 degrees F). Do you think that is too cold? I got the plan tin the summer and it started out fine. I hope the spring will bring it back to life.

Catherine
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 131 Feedbacks

February 2, 20161 found this helpful

I live in the northern suburb of Paris at 49° North, winter is not as cold as in your region but the days are very short with only 8 hours of daylight in december and the sky is very often cloudy. I had to keep the light on all day long today. My Sambac is near a window facing the south.

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The temperature in the flat is around 16° sometimes only 12°.Today I prepared the plant for Spring, I scratch off one or two inches of soil from top of the pot taking care not to damage the roots as they are very close to the surface, then I pour new soil to which I added the contents of two bags of tea (new not used). I leave one inch between the surface of the soil and the top of the pot because in the summer unless it is extremely hot I water the plant only once a week one big quantity at a time instead of a little water each day. I can mist the plant everyday but during automn and winter I nearly do not water the plant at all. My Sambac has one or two flowers during Spring if it is warm enough but during the summer it can be blooming during one or two months with many flowers at the same time. When the plant is growing new leaves or is in bloom I sometimes pour half a glass of tea on the soil. It doesn't feed the plant but it has a tonic effect on it. I do not prune the plant in february (too risky !) I wait for the summer to see which branches are dried to cut them. I think the best way to take care of a Sambac is to treat it as if it was a geranium with that necessary very dry diet and full rest during winter. I am sure your Sambac will survive and as you get warmer summers than we do I think you will soon enjoy its powerful fragrance

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Good Luck !
Catherine

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