Rich, exotic, floral Jasmine is one member of a genus of about 200 species of shrubs and climbing vines that are native to tropical areas of southeast Asia, Africa and Australia. The popularity of their fragrance has resulted in many species of jasmine now being grown all over the world.
True jasmine grows as a climbing vine with oval, shiny leaves and tubular, waxy-white flowers.
Two types of jasmine are used for the extraction of oil. Jasmine has always presented special problems to those who attempt to extract its alluring perfume. Although the plant blooms reliably and consistently, it only produces a few delicate flowers per plant over a period of days to weeks. These flowers last only one day, but continually produce essential oil before they wither and die. Steam distillation or solvent extraction immediately kills the flowers and stops oil production in the living blossom.