| Cestrum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Fruit and blossoms of Cestrum tomentosum | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Solanaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cestroideae |
| Tribe: | Cestreae |
| Genus: | Cestrum L. |
| Species | |
|
Some 150-250, see text | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Cestrum is a genus of — depending on authority — 150-250 species of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae. They are native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas, from the southernmost United States (Florida, Texas: day-blooming cestrum, C. diurnum) south to the Bío-Bío Region in central Chile (green cestrum, C. parqui). They are colloquially known as cestrums or jessamines (probably from the word "jasmine", due to their fragrant flowers).
They are shrubs growing to 1–4 m (3 ft 3 in – 13 ft 1 in) tall. Most are evergreen; a few are deciduous. All parts of the plants are toxic, causing severe gastroenteritis if eaten.