Is night-blooming jasmine toxic? An analysis of its toxicity and effects on the human body

Night-blooming jasmine, also known as night fragrant flower, night fragrant tree, night clove, tuberose, night orchid fragrance and so on, is a flowering ornamental plant native to the tropical regions of the Americas. It is often planted in home courtyards and similar places, mainly blooming at night, and its floral scent is very strong. It cannot be placed indoors in living rooms, but it is quite good for ornamental arrangement in courtyards and similar places. Below, let us take a look together at whether night-blooming jasmine is toxic!

Is night-blooming jasmine toxic?

Night-blooming jasmine is toxic. Most floral scents are beneficial to health, but night-blooming jasmine is an exception. When people remain surrounded by this strong odor for a long time, it is inevitably harmful to health. Even for famous fragrant flowers such as narcissus and roses, over a long period, especially when breathing these scents during sleep, they can make people uncomfortable. Especially when smelled for a long time in the bedroom, it can cause insomnia, so do not place night-blooming jasmine in the bedroom. At night, when night-blooming jasmine stops photosynthesis, it releases a large amount of waste gas, which is extremely bad for human health and can cause dizziness, coughing, and even insomnia. It is even more harmful to patients with high blood pressure and heart disease. Therefore, at night, one should not linger in front of night-blooming jasmine flowers.

The uses of night-blooming jasmine

1. Ornamental: Night-blooming jasmine has slender branches and blooms in summer and autumn. Its yellow-green flowers open in the evening and give off waves of strong, pungent fragrance. In the south, it is often used to decorate courtyards, windowsides, pond edges, and pavilion sides, and it has a certain ornamental value.

2. Medicinal: Night-blooming jasmine can be used as medicine. It has the effect of clearing the liver and improving eyesight, and can treat red and swollen eyes, measles affecting the eyes, corneal opacities, and so on.

3. Edible: Night-blooming jasmine can be eaten, mainly using its fresh flowers and flower buds, and it is a semi-wild vegetable.

4. Mosquito repellent: Night-blooming jasmine is relatively strong and also somewhat toxic, so it can repel mosquitoes, which is also a convenience in daily life. Usually, screens are put over windows, and the plant is grown outdoors.

How to grow night-blooming jasmine

1. Prepare potting soil: Night-blooming jasmine likes loose, well-drained, organic-rich, slightly acidic soil. Its potting soil is generally made by mixing 3 parts peat soil or leaf mold, 2 parts coarse river mud, and a small amount of farmyard manure. When potting, fill about 1/5 of the depth at the bottom with granular crushed brick pieces to facilitate drainage, and use the prepared potting soil for cultivation in the upper part.

2. Suitable environment: Potted night-blooming jasmine requires well-ventilated environmental conditions. From early May to the end of September, it is suitable to be placed in a sunny part of the courtyard or on a balcony for care. Although it likes sufficient sunlight, direct sun exposure should be avoided at noon in summer.

3. Fertilization management: During its growth process, apply liquid fertilizer once every 10 to 15 days. Starting in late April, apply dilute liquid fertilizer once every half month. From mid-May onward, continuous flowering can be ensured. If high-efficiency humic acid liquid fertilizers such as Chunquan 883 or Huimanfeng can be applied, the effect will be even better.

4. Water management: Summer is its peak growing season. In addition to applying sufficient fertilizer, the potting soil must be kept consistently moist, and if necessary, water twice a day. If it is a seedling, spray water on the leaf surface 1 to 2 times a day.

5. Temperature management: In mid-to-late October each year, it should be moved into a shed or indoor room. The shed or room temperature should be kept at 8°C to 12°C. If the temperature is below 5°C, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off until the plant dies.

6. Repotting at the right time: Repotting should preferably be done in early April in spring before the plant is moved outdoors. When repotting, remove part of the old soil and old roots, replace with new culture soil, and carry out heavy pruning to promote new branches. After repotting, keep the potting soil moist, but there must be no standing water in the pot. If the tender leaves are found to droop slightly after repotting, water promptly.

7. Adjust plant shape: During cultivation and management, a trellis needs to be set up. After the plant climbs onto the trellis, promptly pinch off the tips to encourage more branching. After the flowers bloom, promptly cut off the remaining flower stalks and apply additional fertilizer. After the flowers fade, cut off dead and dry branches and leaves as well as overly dense branches, and shorten leggy growth.