Jasminum polyanthum

Native from south-central China to Myanmar, this evergreen twining vine grows in subtropical habitats. Its strongly fragrant white flowers open from pink buds in large clusters. Cultivated on supports and in containers or conservatories, it received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It can be propagated by semi-ripe cuttings or layering. In New Zealand it is invasive: stems root at nodes, and dense growth smothers native plants and prevents seedling establishment. Discarded garden fragments are a major source of spread. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.