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Welcome to our tenth article in the series of posts ‘Flowers in Casa de Campo’, an insight into the many different types of plants found across the Casa de Campo complex. Today we bring you the “Isabel Segunda.” The majestic blue color of the Isabel Segunda is why it bears the name of a distinguished royal lady, also known as the Jazmin Azul, Celestina or Plumbago. This flower is often used as a climbing vine.
The jasmine plant is a source of exotic fragrance in warmer climates. It is an important scent noted in perfumes and has herbal properties. The plants may be vines or bushes and some are evergreen. Most jasmine plants are found in tropical to sub-tropical climates, although a few may thrive in temperate zones, therefore making it common in our Casa de Campo community!
Protection from cold temperatures is one of the most important aspects of jasmine plant care. Growing jasmine vines can create a perfumed shield over arbors, trellises and fences. The bush types are excellent landscape specimens with starry pink, white, ivory or even yellow scented blooms.
Isabel Segunda
- Jasmine shrubs reach a height of 10-15 feet, growing approximately 12-24 inches per year.
- Jasmine leaves are either evergreen or deciduous.
- A Jasmine leaf is arranged opposite in most species. The leaf shape is simple, trifoliate or pinnate with 5-9 leaflets, each up to two and half inches long.
- The Jasmine stems are slender, trailing, green, angled, and almost 4-sided.
- Most of the Jasmine species bear white flowers, which are about 1 inch in size.
- The Jasmine oil, which is a very popular fragrant oil, contains benzyl acetate, terpinol, jasmone, benzyl benzoate, linalool, several alcohols, and other compounds.
- The variety Jasminium sambac, is a clustered flower of an equally strong scent known in Hawaii as the Pikake.
- The two types of Jasmine which are used for oil production are the Jasminum grandiflorum and Jasminum officinale.
- The nectar of the fragrant flowers of Carolina Jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens, is poisonous, although its dried roots are used as a sedative in medicinal preparations.
This is the tenth article of our series “Flowers in Casa de Campo”, in future articles you can look forward to reading about: The Cayena, the Bayahibe Rose, the Frangipani and much more!
* This article was written by former collaborator Daniela Medina, and updated with the name change