Starflower

Jasmine has been called "star flower" across multiple cultures for centuries due to its distinctive five-petaled blossom resembling a celestial star. The ancient Persians scattered jasmine blossoms in royal chambers and used them to scent baths, a practice adopted by the Moors during their centuries of rule in Spain. By the 16th century, Muslim physicians traveling through India documented jasmine cultivation along the Ganges, noting its dual use in perfume and traditional medicine. When French perfumers established operations in Grasse during the 18th century, jasmine became one of the first flowers commercially cultivated specifically for fragrance. Grasse still produces a substantial share of the world's jasmine harvest, with peak production occurring between July and September when workers hand-pick blossoms in the cool morning hours to preserve their delicate scent molecules.