Carolina Yellow Jessamine

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.