Night-blooming
Arabian Nights
Jasminum sambac 'Arabian Nights'
The most powerfully scented of the sambac jasmines — its star-white blossoms release their perfume as the sun sets, flooding a warm evening with sweetness.
Scent Profile
What it smells like
Perfume unfolds in three movements. Close your eyes and follow the scent from first breath to the trace it leaves behind.
Top note
A burst of sweet, almost honeyed white flower the moment the petals unfurl at dusk.
Heart note
A deep, indolic jasmine that sits heavy and heady in the air — the smell of a tropical night made liquid.
Base note
A warm musky trail that lingers on skin and cloth long after the blooms close at dawn.
Care
How it grows
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Moderate, let dry between waterings
- Bloom season
- Spring through fall; heaviest in warm nights
- Mature size
- 3–6 ft as a compact shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 9–11 (container-grown anywhere)
Care notes
Tending this plant
Soil
Rich, well-draining, slightly acidic mix — equal parts potting soil, bark, and perlite. Never let it sit in soggy soil.
Feeding
Feed every two weeks from spring through early fall with a balanced bloom fertilizer (half-strength); pause in winter.
Pruning
Prune lightly in early spring to shape and remove old wood. Pinch tips through the season to encourage branching and more flowering nodes.
Winter care
Below 45°F, move indoors to a bright, warm room. Keep above 50°F — cold stalls bloom and can defoliate the plant.
Container growing
Thrives in a pot. Repot every 2 years and upsize gradually. A 12–16 inch container suits a mature shrub; use a heavy pot to prevent tipping.
Where it grows
A California story
A selection of the beloved pikake brought to California by nursery growers who prized its after-dark intensity. In Danville's warm Tri-Valley evenings it opens reliably and holds its perfume long after sunrise.
