Jasmine or jessamine, the sweet-scented white flowers belong to the genus Jasminum. It is an evergreen semi-vining shrub native to tropical areas of southeast Asia, Africa and Australia. This seasonal plant contains about 150 species. Flowers are about 30 cm and plant height is about 2 m or 3 to 4.5 m if grown as a vine. The oval rich green leaves have five to nine leaflets, each up to 6 cm long.
Grown all over the world for its fragrance, jasmine flowers are used to flavour jasmine tea and other herbal or black teas. The flower oil extracted from the two species Jasminum officinale and J. grandiflorum is used in high-grade perfumes and cosmetics, such as creams, oils, soaps, and shampoos. In Asia, flowers are stringed together to make garlands. Several types of jasmine are used as ornamental plants. Jasminum sambac is the most ideal species for cultivation in kerala.