The Seed Pods On My Night Blooming Jasmine Have Gotten…
David Asked
The seed pods on my night blooming jasmine have gotten knocked off; can I dry them out and plant them?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, David in Ohio: As gardeners we all look for plants that give us something unique to admire. The night blooming jasmine, also known as jessamine or Cestrum nocturnum, is a wonderfully fragrant plant that exudes a sweet aroma as soon as the sun goes down. It is native to tropical America and the West Indies so this makes it a tropical for those of us not gardening in zones 8-11. Although we cannot enjoy the sweet fragrance all year long we can propagate our plants by saving the seeds or taking stem cuttings before the first frost. For maximum viability we want to make sure they have had sufficient time to dry on the plant before we harvest and collect them. If the seeds have not had time to mature on the plant before they are harvested they will not be worth planting. You mentioned that your seeds were still white and this is an indication that they are not completely dried. You can try drying them in a warm, well-ventilated space where they will not be in contact with any moisture or direct sunlight. You may not have a huge success rate but it is certainly worth the try. Depending on the temperature and humidity that the seeds are subject to it may take them a couple of weeks for them to completely dry. Hopefully they have not molded and if they have then it is not worth the effort of trying to dry them. You might want to purchase a packet of seeds just in case yours do not germinate; that way you will not have to wonder if you are going to be able to enjoy this jasmine next growing season or not. Gardening is not an exact science and sometimes experimenting is well worth the effort and sometimes we learn from our mistakes.
