Stephanotis floribunda, a fragrant vine wrought for joy

Stephanotis floribunda is a fabulous fragrant flower vine. It’s often wreathed around hoops for indoor growing, and does an excellent job decorating walls and arbors outside wherever it doesn’t get too cold.

Stephanotis floribunda key facts:

Name – Stephanotis floribunda
Common Names – Madagascar jasmine, creeping tuberose
Family – Apocynceae
Type – fragrant flower vine

Height – 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5+ meters)
Exposure – lots of light
Soil – soil mix, proper drainage

Hardiness – 50-55°F (10-13°C) – Foliage – evergreen – Flowering – May-October

Planting Stephanotis floribunda

Stephanotis floribunda isn’t hardy at all. Whenever temperatures drop to 50°F (10°C), the vine goes dormant and stops growing; any colder and it starts dying. One way around this problem: grow it in a pot!

• USA Hardiness Zone: 11+
• UK Hardiness Zone: H1 (a-c)

Growing S. floribunda in a pot, repotting

A container or pot is best, so that you can bring your Stephanotis floribunda indoors when autumn chills roll about.

• Repot your Madagascar jasmine very often: every year or every two years at most.
• Best time to repot? Early spring (or as soon as flowers fall off if purchased in full bloom).
• Make sure the soil mix drains well.
• This vine doesn’t like being disturbed: once in place in spring or fall, let it be without moving it around too often.

Growing stephanotis outdoors

S. floribunda is native to Madagascar. It requires temperatures of at least 68°F (20°C) year-round to thrive.

• It starts dying if temperatures drop below 55°F (13°C).

The vine prefers climates where winter is slightly cooler than summer, marking a time of dormancy.

Stephanotis care in winter

Winter care for potted Stephanotis floribunda

Frost will kill the vine. Bring the pot indoors in a lean-in or greenhouse.

• Avoid heat sources such as radiators, these dry the air out too much.
• Protect the plant from direct sunlight, for instance don’t set it behind a window.
• The temperature mustn’t drop below 60°F (15°C).

Full-time indoor plants will appreciate a time of rest during winter months. Transfer them to a cooler spot, around 60°F/15°C, if possible, from November to March.

In winter, water your potted Stephanotis only when the soil is dry, without adding fertilizer.

Caring for outdoor Stephanotis in winter

If temperatures drop below 50°F / 10°C, it’ll take a miracle for your Stephanotis floribunda to survive.

• Either transfer your stephanotis to a pot to bring it indoors, or do a thorough job winterizing it with fleece, hay, mulch and the like.

Watering and fertilizing Stephanotis

Water regularly but not too much, since roots can’t take wallowing in water for very long.

• Watering once a week is enough.
• Add liquid flower plant fertilizer every fortnight for better blooming.

Stephanotis requires a lot of moisture because its natural habitat is forest underbrush.

• Spray soft water on the leaves often.
• Clean its leaves every month or so to remove dust.

Stephanotis after flowering

Blooming on Stephanotis floribunda usually lasts from May to October-November.

After the blooming is over, let the plant go dormant: place it in a cooler but well-lit room.

• Ideal temperature is about 68 to 70° F (20 to 21° C) during summer and 57 to 60°F (13 to 15°C) during winter.

During the dormancy, stop giving it fertilizer. Only water if the soil in the pot is dry.

Pruning Stephanotis floribunda

Prune the vine in early spring, as much as you want. Pruning triggers lush growth and ensures it will bloom again.

• To reduce as very large vine, better spread the pruning over two years.
• Learn how to prune stephanotis vine here.

Deadheading

If you can reach them, go ahead and remove dead flowers. This will lead the plant to bloom again.

• Deadheading extends the blooming by a couple weeks.

Fruit on Stephanotis floribunda

It’s common in the tropics, but even in temperate climates you might discover an egg-shaped pod forming on the vine. It’s a fruit! See what you can do with it here: Stephanotis floribunda seeds.

Problems with your Stephanotis

Yellowing leaves? Insects and pests? White masses forming on leaves? Worse yet – no flowers?

Dealing with pest, disease, and blooming issues for Stephanotis floribunda

Learn more about Stephanotis floribunda

As its common name shows, this Stephanotis is native to Madagascar, where it can be found outdoors in the wild among other plants in forest underbrush. It is used under temperate climates as an indoor plant.

Madagascar jasmine is a vine that bears thick dark green leaves. It flowers from spring to fall from stems attached to leaf nodes.

Usually, you need a trellis or a stake to help it grow because it cannot stand upright on its own.

Stephanotis floribunda is one of several Stephanotis species. It’s a flower famous for its fragrance.