Overview

Pinwheel Jasmine is a tropical evergreen shrub with glossy foliage and fragrant white flowers whose twisted petals resemble small pinwheels.

Mature Size and Habit

It develops a rounded, many-branched canopy and can become a substantial shrub where winter temperatures remain mild. Plan for an established size of about 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide.

Best Landscape Uses

Use it as a flowering accent, fragrant patio backdrop, tropical foundation shrub, informal screen, or specimen near an evening-use area.

Sunlight

Full sun to partial sun supports flowering, with afternoon protection helpful on very hot reflective sites or during establishment.

Soil, Drainage, and Irrigation

Grow in fertile, well-drained soil with regular moisture but no standing water; a mulch layer helps moderate summer root-zone temperatures.

Best Planting Season for Tampa and Central Florida

Plant after the last meaningful cold risk in spring or in early fall while soil is warm and irrigation can be monitored.

Pruning and Maintenance

Prune after a flowering flush to control size, remove crossing stems, and encourage branching; sterilize tools and avoid contact with the milky sap.

Wildlife Value

Fragrant flowers may draw moths, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, though the nonnative shrub is not a native larval host.

Cold and Heat Sensitivity

It thrives in Tampa heat and humidity but is cold-sensitive; frost can burn foliage and a hard freeze may kill stems to protected wood.

Safety, Roots, and Placement Warnings

Broken stems release irritating milky sap and plant parts should not be eaten; use gloves and place away from pets, children, and high-contact paths.

Invasive Concerns

It is nonnative and not listed as invasive in Florida, but remove unwanted seedlings or root shoots and keep it out of unmanaged habitat edges.

Helpful Resources

For identification, care, and Florida landscape context, review NC State Extension's Pinwheel Jasmine profile. Site conditions vary, so use local soil, drainage, and exposure observations to refine care.