Jasminum officinale

flower close up

Floral wreath of jasmine shrubs in the shield of Pakistan

Jasminum officinale is the common Jasmine. It is in the family Oleaceae. It is famous for its scent. It is also known as Poet's Jasmine or jessamine.

Garden history

For thousands of years, the Jasmine has been cultivated not only for the beauty of its small, white, star-like flowers, but also for its intoxicating scent.

It is native to the foothills of the Western Himalayas and the Indus Valley plains of the Pakistani Punjab. The plant was cultivated and brought to the rest of the Indian subcontinent, China, the Middle East and other regions of Asia. From there, it spread into France, Italy and the Mediterranean, and eventually it was introduced to the rest of Western Europe and Britain. Today, Jasmine is grown and cultivated all over the world in its many varieties.

Since Jasmine has been cultivated all over the world for its flowers and scent, there are different varieties, and each type of Jasmine is associated with different meanings. In Pakistan, Jasmine is a very common plant and one can find it in any garden. Because of its attractive scent, the white Jasmine symbolizes attachment and represents amiability and modesty; therefore, Jasmine is named as the National flower of Pakistan respectively.