Star jasmine turning red in winter: is it dying?

Your glossy green star jasmine has gone a deep wine-red or bronze, and it's natural to assume the frost has killed it. In most cases it hasn't. The RHS describes star jasmine's leaves as "often turning deep bronze-red in winter". It's a normal response to cold, and the plant should recover except in the severest winters. The things that genuinely kill star jasmine are mostly happening at the roots, not the leaves.

01At a glance

Red or bronze leaves in winter: normal. Leave them alone.
Some spots or a few fallen leaves after a cold snap: also common. The RHS says the plant should recover.
Hardiness: the RHS rates it H4, hardy through most of the UK (about –10 to –5°C), best on a sheltered, sunny wall.
Real warning signs: soft, blackened or brittle stems, or a plant that stays bare into late spring.
Roots matter most: wet, heavy soil in winter is a bigger threat than the colour change.

02Why the leaves change colour

Star jasmine is a borderline-hardy evergreen, and in a UK winter it shows the cold in its foliage. Its leaves can turn red or bronze, and in a hard snap may develop spots or drop. It's a sign of stress, not of death.

That's also why position matters so much. The RHS says a south- or west-facing wall or fence is ideal, with shelter from cold, drying winds, and that frost-prone or exposed spots are best avoided.

03What to do (and not do) this winter

Don't cut off the red leaves. They're not dead. Leave any cutting back of damaged growth until spring, when you can see what has survived.
Mulch the roots. A thick layer of organic matter over the root area in autumn helps protect it. Keep it about 10cm clear of the stem so the bark doesn't rot.
Don't water unless it's in a pot. The RHS says you're unlikely to need to water in-ground plants in winter.
Check pots. Plants in containers dry out quickly, even in winter if they sit under eaves or against a wall where rain doesn't reach. Water lightly if the compost is dry, and make sure the pot drains freely.
Protect in a cold snap if you're in a cold garden. The RHS suggests winter protection in colder or frost-prone places. In mild, sheltered spots, established plants often need none.

04Is it cold colour, or is it actually dying?

Red or bronze leaves that are still firm and glossy: normal winter colour. Do nothing.
Spotted leaves, or some leaf drop after a hard frost: cold stress. Wait for spring before judging.
Stems that are soft, black or snap dry when bent: that section has died. Wait until spring, then cut back to live growth.
A struggling plant in soggy, heavy ground: this is the one to take seriously. On heavy, damp or clay soils star jasmine can suffer from phytophthora root rot. Improve drainage, or grow it in a pot.
Leaves wilting or crisping in a pot: check the compost. Dry roots in a pot are a common, avoidable winter loss.

Give it until late spring. New shoots should appear as growth resumes. If a plant stays bare and lifeless by then, the cold or the wet has won.

Save your money

Don't buy a feed or tonic to "fix" the red leaves. Feeding in winter does nothing useful; the colour is the cold, not hunger.

Don't replace the plant in February. Give it the spring to show what's alive.

The free fixes are position and drainage. If yours colours hard and drops leaves every winter, move it to the warmest, most sheltered wall you have when it's growing, or grow it in a pot you can move into shelter.

How we checked this

Every care and safety claim on this page is verified against horticultural and veterinary sources.

Sources: RHS — How to grow trachelospermum · RHS — Trachelospermum jasminoides (star jasmine) · NC State Extension — Trachelospermum jasminoides

Checked 8 October 2026. If our advice ever conflicts with the RHS, believe them and tell us.