How to Grow Chandni Plant (Crape Jasmine): Cuttings and Care
Chandni is the shrub that keeps flowering when everything else in the garden gives up. To grow the chandni plant (crape jasmine, Tabernaemontana), root a pencil-thick cutting in spring or the monsoon, plant it in a big pot or in the ground with at least four to six hours of sun, water it steadily in summer, and trim it lightly after each flush of white pinwheel flowers.
In brief
- Names: Chandni, Crape Jasmine, Pinwheel Flower, Tabernaemontana divaricata.
- Best method: semi-hard cuttings, 15 to 20 cm long.
- Pot: 14 to 16 inches (20 to 25 litres) for a long-term shrub; it is happier in the ground.
- Mix: two parts soil, one part compost, one part sand or cocopeat.
- Sun: full sun to half shade; at least four hours for steady flowers.
- Flowers: off and on most of the warm year, with the biggest flushes in summer and the monsoon.
Prefer to listen? This post as a 3 min video · Watch the video
Where does chandni grow well?
Chandni is a tropical shrub. University of Florida extension rates it hardy only in frost-free zones and describes moderate growth, moderate drought tolerance once established, and a preference for partial shade over the harshest sun. That fits our plains: morning sun with some afternoon shade gives the glossiest leaves.
| Zone | Verdict | Plant |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi, coastal humid | Plant: flowers most of the year | February to April or July to September |
| Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur | Plant with afternoon shade and mulch | February to March or July to August |
| Lahore, Faisalabad, Delhi | Plant: may get frost-burnt tips, regrows | March or the monsoon |
| Islamabad, Peshawar | Maybe: a sheltered wall or a pot moved in winter | April or July |
| Hills | Skip outdoors | None |
How to grow chandni from cuttings
- In March to April or July to August, cut a firm, pencil-thick shoot 15 to 20 cm long, just below a leaf joint.
- Expect milky sap. Wear gloves and do not rub your eyes.
- Remove all leaves except the top two, and cut those in half to cut water loss.
- Push the cutting 5 to 7 cm deep into moist sand and cocopeat, or plain sand.
- Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag held off the leaves by sticks, and keep it in bright shade.
- Keep the mix just moist. New leaves in four to six weeks mean roots have formed.
- Move into a bigger pot with normal mix once roots show at the drainage hole.
Success is usually good in monsoon humidity and lower in dry March winds. Take five cuttings to get three plants.
Layering and seed
Simple layering works well on a shrub in the ground: bend a low branch, scrape a little bark, bury that part 5 cm deep, and weigh it with a brick. Cut it free after two to three months once it has roots. Seed is rare on the double-flowered form most nurseries sell; skip it.
Chandni plant care through the year
Water
Water deeply when the top 3 to 5 cm is dry. In a pot in May and June that may be daily; in the ground, two or three times a week. From December to February, water once a week or less. Our potted plant watering guide covers the finger test and saucers.
Feeding
Florida extension notes the plant can yellow in alkaline soil and benefits from regular feeding there, which describes much of Punjab and Sindh. Give compost every two months from March to October, and a balanced liquid feed monthly in summer. If young leaves go pale with green veins, add a micronutrient (iron) feed.
The flush-and-trim rhythm
After each big flush of flowers fades, clip about a third off the shoot tips. New shoots appear within weeks, and each carries the next flowers. Trimming little and often keeps a pot plant compact without ever losing a whole season of bloom.
When should you prune chandni?
Do the main shaping cut in late February to March, as new growth starts, then light tip trims after each flush through summer. Avoid hard pruning from November to January: the cut stems sit through cold nights, may die back further, and you lose the spring flush. A hard cut in late spring is fine for an overgrown hedge; it simply delays flowers by a month or so.
Why is my chandni plant not flowering?
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Deep shade | Give four hours of direct sun at least |
| Pot-bound roots | Move up a size or plant in the ground |
| Hard winter pruning | Prune at the end of February instead |
| Hunger in alkaline soil | Compost plus a monthly balanced feed |
Chandni plant leaves turning yellow?
Pale new leaves with green veins point to iron shortage in alkaline soil. Yellow old leaves dropping in a soggy pot points to overwatering. Sticky leaves with black soot are scale or mealybugs, both listed by Florida extension as common pests; wipe them off with soapy water and spray neem-type oil in the evening. Our potting mix guide helps fix drainage.
Chandni care in winter
Stop feeding in November. Water lightly. On frost nights in Lahore, Delhi and Islamabad, move pots under a roof or against a south wall. Frost-burnt leaves look bad but the shrub usually regrows; wait until March before cutting dead tips.
Chandni’s milky sap can irritate skin and eyes, and the plant is not food: keep toddlers and pets from chewing it. Wear gloves when pruning, wash hands after, and rinse an eye with running water for several minutes if sap gets in, seeking care if pain persists. Read any pesticide label, use gloves, and keep children away until it dries.
More shrubs for hot cities are under Phool aur Paudhe.
Chandni questions people ask
How do you grow chandni from cuttings?
Take a 15 to 20 cm firm shoot in spring or the monsoon, strip most leaves, push it into moist sand in bright shade, cover with a plastic bag and wait four to six weeks for roots.
How do I care for a chandni plant?
Give sun for at least four hours, water when the top few cm dry out, feed monthly in summer and trim lightly after each flush of flowers.
Why is my chandni plant not flowering?
Usually too much shade, cramped roots, hunger, or a hard prune in winter. Fix sun first.
Why are chandni leaves turning yellow?
Pale young leaves with green veins mean iron shortage, common in alkaline soil. Yellow lower leaves with wet soil mean overwatering.
What is the best fertiliser for chandni?
Compost every couple of months plus a balanced liquid feed monthly from spring to autumn, and a micronutrient feed if leaves go pale.
Does chandni survive winter in Lahore?
Usually yes in a sheltered spot, though frost can burn the tips. Pots are safer moved under cover on frost nights.
Can chandni be grown as a hedge?
Yes. Plant about 60 to 90 cm apart and trim after flushes. It makes a softer, slower hedge than duranta.
Is chandni the same as jasmine?
No. It is called crape jasmine for its white flowers, but it belongs to the oleander family, not the true jasmine family.