# Night-Blooming Jasmine (*Cestrum nocturnum*)

Night-Blooming Jasmine is a fragrant flower that opens its petals at night, attracting moths with its sweet scent. Its white flowers add a magical touch to moonlit gardens.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas
- **Also known as:** Night Jessamine

![Night-Blooming Jasmine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Jasmine_NightBloomimg2_Asit.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Asit K. Ghosh Thaumaturgist, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jasmine_NightBloomimg2_Asit.jpg)

## Appearance

The Night-Blooming Jasmine is a woody shrub with slender stems and dark green, ovate leaves. Its small, tubular flowers, clustered at branch tips, are typically greenish-white or pale yellow. These inconspicuous blossoms become powerfully fragrant only after sunset, a unique visual distinction.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Solanales
- **Family:** Solanaceae
- **Genus:** Cestrum

## Interesting facts

- Its berries might look tasty, but they are very poisonous to eat!
- Its incredible scent can travel hundreds of feet on a still night!
- Some people call its powerful fragrance 'Lady of the Night'.
- Though called 'jasmine', it's not related to true jasmine plants at all.

## Special abilities

- **Nocturnal Scent Burst:** Night-Blooming Jasmine has a potent, sweet fragrance that it releases only at night to attract specific pollinators.
- **Moth Magnet:** Its pale, tubular flowers reflect moonlight, helping night-flying moths easily find them in the dark.
- **Hidden Warning:** Night-Blooming Jasmine produces small white berries that signal its toxicity, deterring animals from eating them.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 200-400 cm
- **Spread:** 100-200 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Moderate
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Tobacco hornworm moth (*Manduca sexta*) — Its long proboscis reaches the flower's nectar.
- **Pollinates:** Convolvulus Hawk-moth (*Agrius convolvuli*) — Attracted by the strong nocturnal scent.
- **Eats:** Sweet potato whitefly (*Bemisia tabaci*) — Feeds on plant sap from its leaves.
- **Eats:** Cotton leafworm (*Spodoptera littoralis*) — Larvae chew holes in the foliage.

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Night Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/night-blooming): Night blooming plants open their flowers after sunset, often to attract nocturnal pollinators with their scent and appearance.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Enjoy the beauty of Night-Blooming Jasmine from a safe distance and avoid touching or ingesting any part of the plant.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Night-Blooming Jasmine?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Night-Blooming Jasmine?

200-400 cm

### How wide does Night-Blooming Jasmine spread?

100-200 cm

### How big are the flowers on Night-Blooming Jasmine?

1.5-2.5 cm

### When does Night-Blooming Jasmine bloom?

Summer to Fall

### Is Night-Blooming Jasmine edible?

No

### Is Night-Blooming Jasmine toxic?

Moderate

### What is Night-Blooming Jasmine's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Kalopa State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kalopa-state-recreation-area) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Night-Blooming Jasmine: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/night-blooming-jasmine)