Pakistanis call the jasmine ‘Chameli’ or ‘Yasmine’ and regard it as their country flower. Here, the jasmine can be found almost everywhere – growing naturally in the wild and also cultivated in gardens and nurseries. In fact, more than fourteen species of jasmine, wild and cultivated, are found in Pakistan alone. Here, the plant is widely cultivated for its beautiful flower and is grown extensively in private and public gardens, as indoor plants and also as cut flowers. The flower is actually desired for its incredible fragrance and it blossoms and gives out its heady fragrance only at night. It is usually white in colour but a rare variety of pink is also seen occasionally.

Grown primarily in the tropical regions, the Jasmine is a favourite among women across South and South East Asia. South Indian women love the flower and use it as an adornment for their hair on a daily basis. It is used in all religious and cultural occasions in this region, and especially so in Java, Bali and India. Jasmine is also used to make essential oils, perfumes and incense and is considered to be a strong aphrodisiac. It is no wonder that in Sanskrit, an ancient language of this region, the jasmine is called ‘Mallika’ or ‘queen of the flowers’ (the Latin name of Jasmine is ‘Jasminum Grandiflorum L’).

The flower is also used in Chinese medicine as a cure for various diseases. The Chinese believe that if one consumes jasmine tea everyday, it helps cure certain forms of cancer. The Indonesians too regard jasmine flower as a symbol of purity, nobility and enduring love.