Jasminum auriculatum is juhi, one of the three jasmines grown commercially in Tamil Nadu alongside malligai (J. sambac) and jathi malli (J. grandiflorum). Its small white star flowers are threaded into garlands and distilled for perfume. In Tamil it is widely known as mullai, the flower that names one of the five landscapes of Sangam poetry.
- Botanical name
- Jasminum auriculatum Vahl
- Family
- Oleaceae
- Tamil
- Usimalligai
- Hindi
- Juhi
- Parts used
- Flowers (scent)
- Habit
- Ear-leaflet jasmine; malligai is J. sambac
- Last updated
- 2026-10-25
How to recognise Juhi
The leaves are the giveaway. Most are simple, but many carry two tiny, ear-like leaflets at the base of the main blade. The species name auriculatum means “with little ears”.
Flowers are small, white, star-shaped and very fragrant, with a slender tube, borne in loose clusters through the warm months.
It is a scrambling shrub, kept low and bushy in cultivation for easy picking. Fruit, rarely seen in gardens, is a small black berry.
Malligai, Jasminum sambac, has broader, simple leaves and fuller, often double flowers. Jathi malli, J. grandiflorum, has pinnate leaves and larger flowers.
Traditional use of Juhi
Sangam poetry
Mullai is the forest-and-pasture landscape of classical Tamil poetry, associated with patient waiting, and named after this jasmine.
Sangam literature
Flower trade
Buds are picked at dawn and sold by weight for garlands and hair flowers, and growers also sell flowers to factories that extract jasmine concrete for perfumery.
Tamil Nadu floriculture
Modern notes on Juhi
Perfumers value juhi absolute for a scent lighter and greener than sambac. Agricultural research in Tamil Nadu has bred improved varieties for yield and flowering season.
Claims made for jasmine in aromatherapy are mostly about mood and pleasure, and the clinical evidence is limited.
Juhi safety
The flowers are worn and smelled, not eaten. Concentrated jasmine absolute can irritate skin, so dilute it before applying.
Ecology and sourcing
It grows wild in scrub and dry forest edges in peninsular India. Commercial cultivation is concentrated around Madurai, Coimbatore and other districts of Tamil Nadu.
Flowers are pollinated by moths at night, which is why the scent is strongest in the evening.
Related plants
Questions about Juhi
Is Juhi malligai?
No. Malligai, the Madurai jasmine, is Jasminum sambac.
What are the little leaflets at the leaf base?
The “ears” the name auriculatum refers to, and the easiest way to recognise it.
What is the Hindi name of Jasminum auriculatum?
Juhi.
Sources
- Jasminum auriculatum Vahl — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q623492 (Jasminum auriculatum)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.