Family: Apocynaceae
Common name: Pinwheel flower, Crape jasmine, Tagar plant, Easy Indian rosebay, Nero’s crown,
Once you have this pretty plant established in your garden, it needs very little attention. A plant that grows well in tropical weather, Crape jasmine only needs good draining soil, occasional fertilizers, and some direct sunlight to keep blooming and growing.
Plant characteristics
The plant can grow to a height of 1.2-1.8 meters, though dwarf variants are also available. The stem is green and well-branched keeping the plant bushy and well-rounded.
Leaves are glossy, dark green, lance-shaped or ovate, about 10-20 cm long, but this also varies depending on the variant.
The most distinguishing features of the Pinwheel flower plant are the pinwheel-shaped white flowers. The size and shape of the flowers can vary depending on the variant, but they mostly grow to a diameter of 4-5 cm with 5 distinct petals.
The flowers might sometimes have a deep yellow throat. During spring and summer, the plants bloom aplenty covering the plant completely with flowers.
Crape jasmine plants bloom more during spring, but keep having flowers throughout the year. The plants are capable of producing small fruits, but these are not commonly seen in garden plants.
Growing tips
Pinwheel flower plants are ideal for home gardens – they grow quickly, flower for a long time, and need very little care and attention.
These plants need good, direct sunlight for most part of the day. They are tolerant of drought and poor soil conditions, and can thrive well in a variety of soil.
Regular watering and fertilization is needed when that Pinwheel flower plants are small, after which they can pretty much take care of themselves.
Prune the plant and remove spent flowers to help them bloom well. In case of pest infestation, spray with neem oil or organic pesticides.
Uses of Pinwheel flower
These plants are mostly grown as ornamentals because of their flowers. But they were used to treat pain, inflammation, infections, tumors, headache, and skin diseases.
They are loved by gardeners and landscapers because of the large number of variants available to suit different requirements of height, leaf and flower size.
Growing Pinwheel flowers in you garden can attract nocturnal pollinators like moths, and also bees and butterflies.
Propagation
Propagation is through stem cuttings, which can root quickly in moist, well-drained soil.
Photographed at: Multiple locations at Bangalore, India
