Stephanotis

Stephanotis is a genus of wood stemmed, evergreen plants. It gets its name from the shape of the stamens within the flower which are said to resemble an ear, hence the name comes from the Greek ‘stephanos’ crown and ‘otis’ ear.

Description
The blooms of the stephanotis are generally white in colour and have a waxy texture with a strong sweet scent. The flowers have a star shape and are also tubular. The leaves of this plant are oval shaped and feel leathery to the touch.

Habitat
This plant is native to Madagascar, Africa and Australia and so requires a fairly humid and hot environment. Temperatures of between 16 and 28 degrees Celsius are suitable for the stephanotis. Because this plant naturally grows in tropical forests, with plenty of shade, it requires indirect sunlight in order to survive.

Availability
The beginning of summer is the optimal time to pick up one of these plants, as this is the time of year when the blooms are just coming out of their buds. It can also be purchased at any time of the year and most people buy it for its beautiful, scented flowers.

Species
The stephanotis is a genus which originates from the mildewed family, known as asclepiadacae. Within the stephanotis genus, there are approximately 15 species, the most famous of which is the stephanotis floribunda, also known by the name ‘Madagascar Jasmine’.

Care Tips
The stephanotis is an extremely fragile plant, so it is important to ensure that it is situated in an environment with a constant temperature; any sudden changes from cold draughts or a sudden burst of heat from a radiator could kill it. Equally, make sure that it is kept somewhere where it will not be shaken or moved, as this can also damage this delicate plant.

Did You Know?
The best known species is stephanotis floribunda (Madagascar jasmine) which is a popular flower for wedding bouquets, due to its colour and sweet scent.

References
http://livinghouseplants.com/stephanotis.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1889804.htm