My Herbal Wellbeing - Herbal Tea Database - Jasmine (Jasminum officinale)

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Jasmine
Common Name	Jasmine
Scientific Name	Jasminum officinale
Sometimes called Poet's Jasmine, this vine-like plant with its captivating scent is native to warm parts of the Eastern Hemisphere. It can be grown outdoors in the southern United States, but must be taken indoors in winter in cold weather areas. The name is derived from the Persian yasmin, and the summer jasmine of our gardens is a species native to Persia and northern India. When it was introduced to Europe in the mid-sixteenth century, it was grafted onto a hardier Spanish variety. Many think the scent of jasmine arouses erotic instincts, and a few drops of jasmine oil, massaged on the body along with almond oil are believed to overcome frigidity. The essential oil of jasmine is used in the perfume industry, and the herb is grown extensively near Cannes and Grasse in the south of France. In India, jasmine is believed a remedy for snakebite. An infusion of the leaves is thought to alleviate eye problems.
Plant	Tender perennial. A vine-like semi-evergreen plant, jasmine has many dark green leaflets arranged in opposite rows along the stem. Clusters of richly scented white flowers bloom over a long period from June to September. The fruits are two-lobed berries containing two to four seeds.
Height	To 30 feet in warm climates.
Soil	Moist, well-drained garden soil.
Exposure	Sun or partial shade.
Propagation	By stem cuttings of moderately firm shoots. Also by seeds and layering.
Care	Planted outside in temperate climates, jasmine should be carefully trained against a wall or on a trellis. In colder climates, jasmine can be potted with a trellis support, and brought indoors in winter. No systematic annual pruning is required, but the plant is more likely to flourish if older, crowded stems are thinned out occasionally.
Part used for Tea	Flowers.
Taste	Fragrant, sweet.
How to Brew	By INFUSION: 1 teaspoon of dried flowers, or 3 teaspoons of fresh flowers, covered with 1 cup of boiling water and steeped to taste. Because of the euphoria aroused by jasmine's distinctive scent, it's hard to tell if it is the taste or the odor of this tea that makes it so delightful.