Gelsemium sempervirens
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- gel-SEM-ee-um sem-per-VEE-renz
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Carolina yellow jasmine (sometimes called false jasmine or Carolina jessamine) is a member of the family Gelsemiaceae. It is a vine native to the southern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala. Its name derives from the Italian name for jasmine, gelsomino, and the species name indicates that it is evergreen. It was named the state flower of South Carolina in 1924.
It is best grown in moist, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun. Although it will tolerate light shade, best flowering and growth occur in sun. It tolerates wind and is moderately tolerant of salt, wet soil, or short periods of drought. Carolina jessamine has a modest growth rate until well-established. It may grow from 12 to 20 feet as a twining vine trained to an arbor or trellis after three to four growing seasons. If unsupported, it creates a bushy ground cover. Pruning, which is best done soon after it finishes flowering, is generally only needed for shape and training to its support.
Admired for its sweetly scented, canary-yellow flowers and glossy evergreen foliage, this vine really puts on a show from February to May, depending on the weather. The foliage generally bronzes in winter.
Carolina jessamine can be found in the wild in wooded areas and thickets growing up tree trunks. It can become weedy in disturbed areas and along roadsides. In cultivation, it is well suited for growing in vertical spaces like trellises, arbors, fences, planters, porch columns, and screens.
Fire Risk: This plant has an extreme flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home.Quick ID Hints:
- Thin, wiry, evergreen vine that climbs by twining
- Leaves are shiny green, opposite and lanceolate
- Persistent fruit is a flattened, dehiscent capsule
- Flowers are golden yellow, funnelform, axillary
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Flava'
- 'Margarita'
- 'Pride of Augusta'
double flowers
- 'Flava'
- 'Flava', 'Margarita', 'Pride of Augusta'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Flava'
- 'Margarita'
- 'Pride of Augusta'
double flowers
- 'Flava'
- 'Flava', 'Margarita', 'Pride of Augusta'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Gelsemium
- Species:
- sempervirens
- Family:
- Loganiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE. U.S.A. to Honduras
- Fire Risk Rating:
- extreme flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Areas of dense growth provide extreme weather and winter cover. Its flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Thin, flattened capsule fruit. A dry, green to brown, laterally compressed or flattened capsule, dehiscent, persistent, up to 1" long. Splits open to appear as four lobes. Displays from September to November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Bright, fragrant, funnel-shaped, yellow flowers (to 1.5” long) that appear either solitary or in clusters (cymes) in late winter to early spring (February-May depending on location), sometimes blooming again in the fall. Its flowers often serve as a demonstrative signal that winter is coming to an end. in axillary dichasia/cymes, or flower solitary. Bright yellow, fragrant, commonly 1-3, zygomorphic; sepals obtuse, shedding before fruit; corolla funnelform with 5 short, overlapping lobes, orange within, to 1" long x 1" broad.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Cuneate
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Shiny, lanceolate, light green leaves (to 1-3” long) which are evergreen but may develop yellow to purple hues in winter. The plants are semi-evergreen toward the northern limits of their growing range. Opposite, simple, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, broad cueate, entire, dark green, glabrous, glossy, to 2" long.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Greenish brown to red-brown, glabrous, thin and wiry, twining; leaves and inflorescences typically borne on dwarf shoots to short pins.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Vertical Spaces
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Salt
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Children
- Weedy