Jasmine Snow and Summer Varigated #3

Are you tired of "groundcover" just meaning a boring carpet of dark green ivy that hides snakes and nothing else? Do you have a slope that is impossible to mow, but you want it to look like a feature than a bug?

We love this plant because it’s a total show-off. Most groundcovers are utilitarian -- they just sit there and cover dirt. 'Snow-N-Summer' acts like it’s the star of the show. It gets its name because the new growth emerges as a stunning, soft pink, which then turns to a bright, snowy white, and finally settles into a variegated emerald green. From a distance, it looks like the plant is covered in flowers, but that’s actually just the leaves! It is the "cousin" of the fragrant Star Jasmine, but unlike its cousin, this one prefers to sprawl across the ground rather than climb your trellis.

Here in the Piedmont, we have a lot of steep banks and red clay slopes that are a nightmare to maintain. 'Snow-N-Summer' is a fantastic solution for our area because it holds the soil well once established. While it’s technically evergreen, in our Mount Airy and King winters, it might drop some leaves or turn a bronze color if we get a really hard freeze, but it bounces back with that signature pink flush as soon as the weather warms up.

Why We Recommend It:

• The "Un-Green" Groundcover: If you want color without the hassle of planting annual flowers every year, this is it. The tricolor foliage (pink, white, green) gives you the visual pop of a flower bed, but with the toughness of a shrub.

• Weed Suppressor: Once this jasmine fills in, it forms a dense mat that makes it very difficult for weeds to push through. It’s a great way to reclaim a part of your yard that you’re tired of weeding.

• Deer Resistant: We know the deer in Winston-Salem and King will eat just about anything, but they generally tend to leave Asian Jasmine alone. It’s not their favorite snack, which is a huge bonus for us.

Best Used For:

• Steep banks or slopes (no more mowing on a 45-degree angle!).

• "Spiller" in container pots (looks great hanging over the edge).

• Border edging along walkways.

• Underplanting beneath trees where grass won't grow.

The Specs:

• Growth Rate: Slow to start, then Medium/Fast once established.

• Mature Size: 8–12 inches tall; spreads 3 ft+ wide.

• Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade (Best color in more sun).

• Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil is best, but adapts to clay.

Ready to brighten up the ground?Read more about Asian Jasmine at the NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, or stop by Mitchell's. Ask us to show you the "pink and white jasmine" -- it’s hard to miss!