Identification:This fast growing vine is easily recognized by its opposite oriented palmately compound leaves and its fragrant, allergenic flowers. The shiny, leathery leaves have 5 to 7 leaflets. The terminal (last) leaflet is noticeably longer than the rest (1-2.7 in long). The flowers begin as reddish-pink buds and open into white star-like flowers that are 1 in (2.5 cm) in diameter.
Impacts: This aggressive vine can easily jump the garden fence and will over-grow other plants and structures. It can grow into a dense canopy that will shade out all other vegetation. Pink jasmine is native to China and has naturalized and is considered a pest in New Zealand and Australia.
Dispersal Mechanism: Pink jasmine can reproduce vegetatively from a small stem fragment and will root at leaf nodes that touch the ground. The plant is moved around by humans intentionally in garden plantings and unintentionally at dumpsites where stem pieces grow into new plants. In Hawaii it has been found in very limited areas on the Big Island. If you see it anywhere else on the Big Island- let someone know!

Pink Jasmine look-alikes:

Jasmine (Jasminum fluminense):
Jasmine is another weedy garden plant that has become naturalized throughout the tropics, including on the islands of Maui, Oahu, Hawaii. It is considered one of Hawaii's most invasive horticultural plants. Jasmine is a scrambling shrub with LEAFLETS OF 3 and fragrant white flowers that do not have reddish-pink buds. It produces round, fleshy black berries.

Star Jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum):
Star jasmine, or pikake-hoku, is another closely related non-native viney shrub with star-like flowers that is sometimes planted as a garden plant in Hawaii. Star jasmine's stems and leaves are covered in a downy fuzz which gives it a grayish-green appearance. It DOES NOT HAVE compound leaves. Star jasmine does not produce the reddish-pink flower buds.