Orange Jessamine Problem

I have an Orange Jessamine (Murraya paniculata, called "Jasmine" in most catalogues), that seems quite happy to do nothing. The leaves are a nice lush (somewhat dark) green, nothing falling. It's not pot-bound, but not drowning in dirt, either. Roots look healthy.

The stupid thing neither blooms nor grows new leaves/buds. It just sits there, looking the same, week after week, month after month. I water very lightly, only when mostly dry. It gets 12 hours/day of grow light.

My Jasmine sambac (Arabian) responded really well to the same treatment, and just finished blooming its little head off.

Any ideas what's missing for the Jessamine?

Do you take it outdoors in the warmer weather? Sometimes indoor light just isn't enough for some plants to bloom, they need real sun. The other possibility is it needs to get bigger first before it'll bloom. Or it might need to be fertilized--you don't mention whether you ever do that or not, but sitting there not growing and not blooming tells me it might need a bit of fertilizer. You might also consider watering it differently--you're doing the right thing on letting it dry out a bit between waterings, but when you do water it, instead of just a light watering, it may be better to give it a good soaking. Then let it dry out just like you're doing now before watering it again. I've found with my plants that if I just give them a light watering they tend to sit there and not do much--they stay alive and look reasonably healthy, but they grow very slowly and don't bloom well. But if I water them thoroughly when I do water them, then they do much better.

I have to grow All my Jasmin plants indoors here in UK, but come summer, I sit them outside in a nice sheltered area where the sunlight can harden off the stems and the natural sun seams to act like a tonic as Ecrane has said, I have to cart them all back indoors again as soon as the evening temps drop or they will suffer, but feeding, proper watering and good compost is also very important, I would also agree that your watering might be slightly on the too little side, give a liquid feed added to the water you use from your can at the dose the instructions have said, I like a liquid feed that has seaweed extracts added as this also helps encourage flowering, strong foliage and generally helps the plants fight off bugs because the plants good health means they are stronger, however, maybe re-potting and doing the regime suggested will suit this type of Jasmine better, not all Jasmines need the same treatment, they are a large family of plants and different types like different treatments, also in hot weather, try give a mulch onto the top soil as this might help stop the soil drying out too quickly, I have some coloured large pebbles as a top dressing but there are several mulches you can apply for that reason,
hope this helps a bit, good luck. Weenel.

Less than a week after posting my original question, the plant has started new growth at the tip of the tallest branch. There are what appear to be five or six tiny new leaves on a thin, succulent stem emerging straight up from the woody stem.

I've discovered the secret of getting a plant out of dormancy! Just ask about it on Dave's. :)

Make that 12 new leaves at the tip of the highest branch!

Thinking back, I realized I had pruned the tip of that branch about a month ago for esthetic reasons. This may be what prompted the new growth. So last night, I carefully selected five other branches and pruned the tips the same way (right above a node). We'll see what happens.

hi Dallasdad, like I said earlier, some plants need a winter rest, so maybe it was just time for the plant to start new seasons growth, maybe it did need a prune, but whatever the reason, soon as plants start into growth, that is the best time to give them a tidy up, or prune to make the plant send out new branches/stems, or general rid the plant of dead/dying branches, not all plants need this treatment, but woody stemmed or heavy branching plants do enjoy this treatment to hurry them into new growth, but whatever you are doing, the plant obviously enjoyed the kindness and will reward you with even more branches/flowers etc, so good luck and enjoy. WeeNel.

More new growth: The new leaves on top are extending and unfurling, and one of the branches I trimmed has started a new shoot. Looks like the plant is changing over to spring season mode. Yay!