Jasmine represents a genus of more than 200 flowering vines and shrubs
of the Oleaceae family, which includes the olive tree. Common jasmine,
(Jasminum officinale), also known as poet's jasmine, is the species
revered for its floral scent. The plant has been grown as an ornamental
and for its highly fragrant flowers for centuries in China, Japan and
throughout Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Jasmine is also the national
flower of Pakistan, where it is commonly known as "Chambeli."
An oil produced from the flowers called jasmine absolute is so prized
for its scent that it's referred to as the "King of Oils." Not
surprisingly, this oil is a bit pricey, not just because of its
popularity but because it takes a lot of flowers to produce a small
amount of oil. However, the cost of its use in perfumery and cosmetics
is tempered by the fact that only a tiny amount is needed to capture the
scent.
Jasmine flowers are commonly enjoyed in China as a tea, sometimes
combined with green or black teas. In fact, "flowering teas" are hand
woven from bundled tea leaves with a closed jasmine flower bud at the
center, which appears to bloom as the bundle unfolds in response to
steeping in hot water.
