Murraya (Orange Jasmine)

Family:  Rutaceae

Origin: Asia, Australia

The Size: 8-12 ft. tall, 8-12 ft. wide

Temperature & Humidity: As tropical plants, orange jasmine does best in humidity above 50 percent and must have temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, as they are not frost-tolerant. The plant can tolerate lower levels of humidity.

Lightning: Orange jasmine plants require protection from hot, direct sunlight. Locate the plant where it receives morning sunlight and afternoon shade, or where it will get dappled sunlight or dappled shade all day. 

The Soil: Plant orange jasmine in well-drained soil that is free of nematodes (roundworms). Well-drained soil is critical, as orange jasmine doesn’t do well in waterlogged soil. If your soil lacks drainage, improve soil conditions by adding organic material such as compost, chopped bark, or leaf mulch. The shrub does best in moderately acidic, neutral, or moderately alkaline soil with a pH between 6.6 and 7.5.

Watering: Water orange jasmine plants deeply whenever the top two inches of soil feels dry to the touch. As a general rule, one inch of water per week is about right. However, more frequent irrigation may be needed if you live in a hot climate or if the plant is in a container. Never allow it to stand in muddy soil or water.

Fertilizer: Feed orange jasmine plants once every three to four weeks throughout the growing season (spring through fall), using a fertilizer designed for evergreen plants. Alternatively, if the plant is in a container, apply a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer formulated for evergreen shrubs. For the amount to use, follow the product label instructions.

Reproduction: When grown in containers, orange jasmine should be repotted when it begins to outgrow the container. To transfer an established plant into a larger container (opt for a new pot that's two inches wider), trim off any dead foliage, removing no more than one-eighth of the total growth. The roots of orange jasmine are fragile. To avoid damaging them during transplanting, water the plant well beforehand so you can pull out the plant and root ball along with the soil and transfer it to the new container.

Transfer: When grown in containers, orange jasmine should be repotted when it begins to outgrow the container. To transfer an established plant into a larger container (opt for a new pot that's two inches wider), trim off any dead foliage, removing no more than one-eighth of the total growth. The roots of orange jasmine are fragile. To avoid damaging them during transplanting, water the plant well beforehand so you can pull out the plant and root ball along with the soil and transfer it to the new container.
 

Features of Care: Other than making sure that you plant it in suitable conditions, and keeping your orange jasmine watered and fertilized, the element of plant care that requires the most attention is pruning. Orange jasmine can be trained into a small tree and used as a hedge by pruning often when it is young since it grows rapidly

Difficulties: Although this species doesn't usually have problems with diseases, it will attract certain pests. You may see soil nematodes, scale, whiteflies, and sooty mold. Nematodes (roundworms) can be either beneficial or detrimental to the garden; when detrimental, they will attack plants and spread plant viruses.