Summer Sunset Jasmine – Trachelospermum asiaticum (Colorful Asiatic Jasmine Groundcover, Live Starter Plants)

Summer Sunset Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Summer Sunset’) is a tough, colorful evergreen groundcover grown for its incredible foliage. The leaves are marbled in endless hues of orange, red, amber, green, and cream, and much like fingerprints, no two are exactly alike. The colors deepen with sun exposure, and while a single leaf is worth admiring on its own, it is the mass of them together, spilling across the ground in a dense carpet, that truly steals the show. Despite the name, this is not a true jasmine. Instead, it is the low-growing, easy-care cousin of Confederate jasmine, prized as a low-maintenance lawn alternative and erosion-control groundcover.

Why Grow Summer Sunset Jasmine?

• Stunning marbled foliage – orange, red, amber, green, and cream leaves that get richer in the sun for year-round color.
• Tough, weed-smothering groundcover – forms a dense, trailing mat that suppresses weeds and covers slopes and bare spots.
• Low-maintenance lawn alternative – also a great turf substitute for areas where grass struggles, in sun or shade.
• Drought-, salt-, and shade-tolerant – handles tough sites, coastal conditions, and dry spells once established.
• Deer-resistant & easy – deer tend to leave it alone, and it is about as low-fuss as a plant gets.

Looking for more groundcovers and flowering color? Browse our Groundcovers & Border Plants and Flowering Plants collections.

Plant Specifications at a Glance

• Botanical name: Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Summer Sunset’ (Asiatic jasmine, Asian star jasmine)
• Plant type: Evergreen, low-climbing woody groundcover (not a true jasmine)
• Plant family: Apocynaceae (the dogbane family)
• Mature size: about 6–18 inches tall, spreading 2–3 feet or more wide as a dense mat
• Foliage: Glossy leaves marbled in orange, red, amber, green, and cream, deepening with sun
• Flowers: Small, fragrant white-to-yellow flowers (sparse; it is grown mainly for foliage)
• Notable traits: Drought-, salt-, and shade-tolerant; deer-resistant; great for erosion control
• Cold Hardiness Zones: 7–10

Summer Sunset Jasmine Care & Growing Guide

This is one of the easiest, toughest groundcovers you can plant. Follow these guidelines:

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial (even fairly heavy) shade. Specifically, more sun brings out the richest leaf color, while it stays greener in shade.
• Water: Water regularly to establish, then only occasionally, since it is drought-tolerant once settled in. However, avoid overwatering, which can make it grow aggressive and unruly.
• Soil: Tolerates most soils, including poor ones, though it prefers moist, well-drained ground while establishing.
• Cold Hardiness Zone: 7–10. It is evergreen in mild winters. However, it may brown slightly in colder spots before flushing back out.
• Pruning: Trim or mow once a year in spring to keep it neat and dense, and prune more often if you want extra thickness. However, it does not take heavy foot traffic, so use it in low-traffic areas.

Good to know: like other plants in this family, the cut stems have a milky sap, and the foliage is mildly toxic to pets if chewed. Therefore, it is a good idea to keep pets from nibbling and wear gloves when trimming.

Ways to Use Summer Sunset Jasmine in the Landscape

This colorful, trailing groundcover blankets tough spots fast. Popular uses for Summer Sunset Jasmine include:

• Colorful evergreen groundcover and lawn alternative
• Also slopes, banks, and erosion control
• Front-of-border edging and mass plantings
• Similarly, spilling over walls, containers, and hanging baskets
• Tough, low-water and coastal gardens

It pairs beautifully with other tough, sun-loving plants. For example, gardeners often combine it with fragrant Confederate Jasmine, the golden Golden Glory Ornamental Peanut, or grassy Aztec Liriope.

What You’ll Receive

These are live Summer Sunset Jasmine starter plants, grown and shipped by Carlo’s Plant Farm. Each plant is less than 12 inches tall when we ship it. The listing photos show mature plants of the same species. That way, you can see how yours will look as they grow. Finally, choose your preferred bundle size using the options above.

Also, due to different state laws, we reserve the right to charge extra fees where necessary to comply.

Ordering, Shipping & Returns

Every order ships free and is insured against loss or damage in transit. For full details on how we pack and send your plants, processing and delivery times, and what to do in the rare case of a problem, please review our Shipping Policy and Terms & Conditions before purchasing. By placing an order, you agree to those terms.

Summer Sunset Jasmine FAQ

Growing & Care Questions

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