Carolina Yellow Jessamine
- Shipping Available
Gelsemium sempervirens
Gelsemium sempervirens, commonly known as False Jasmine, False Jessamine, or Carolina Jessamine, is an evergreen twining vine native to the region from Virginia to Florida west to Texas and Central America. It is commonly found in open woods, thickets, and along roads. The vine produces bright, fragrant, funnel-shaped, yellow flowers (up to 1.5" long) either singly or in clusters (cymes) from late winter to early spring (February – April, depending on location). These flowers often signal that winter is coming to an end.
As a vine, Carolina Jessamine can grow up to 20 feet long on wiry reddish-brown stems. When grown as a bushy ground cover, it reaches a height of 3 feet and can sprawl somewhat indefinitely by runners. The plant has shiny, lanceolate, light green leaves (1-3" long) that remain evergreen but may develop yellow to purple hues in winter. Towards the northern limits of its growing range, the plant is semi-evergreen. Both the flowers and the foliage are poisonous if ingested. The vine's name is spelled variably as jasmine or jessamine.
In 1924, Carolina jessamine was designated as the official flower of South Carolina.
Height: 12'-20'
Spread 3'-6'
Bloom: February-April
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Zone: 7, 8, 9, 10
Origin: Texas and southern U.S., Mexico, Guatemala
Winter Shipping: We will continue to ship throughout winter. If you prefer, we are happy to hold your order until spring; please include that request in your shipping notes.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
