Carolina jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is a tropical vine native to Central America and the southern United States. Carolina jasmine is a popular garden plant also called yellow jasmine, evening trumpetflower, and woodbine. Despite being commonly kept as a houseplant, carolina jasmine is toxic when consumed and causes skin irritation.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Gelsemium sempervirens is a twining vine in the family Gelsemiaceae, native to subtropical and tropical America: Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico (Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo), and southeastern and south-central United States (from Texas to Virginia). It has a number of common names including yellow jessamine or confederate jessamine or jasmine, Carolina jasmine or jessamine, evening trumpet flower, gelsemium and woodbine.
Yellow jessamine is the state flower of South Carolina.
Despite its common name, the species is not a “true jasmine” and not of the genus Jasminum.
Gelsemium sempervirens can grow to 3–6 m (10–20 ft) high when given suitable climbing support in trees, with thin stems. The plant is perennial. The leaves are evergreen, lanceolate, 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long and 1–1.5 cm (3⁄8–5⁄8 in) broad, and lustrous, dark green. The flowers are borne in clusters, the individual flowers yellow, sometimes with an orange center, trumpet-shaped, 3 cm (1+1⁄4 in) long and 2.5–3 cm (1–1+1⁄4 in) broad. Its flowers are strongly scented and produce nectar that attracts a range of pollinators.
All parts of this plant contain the toxic strychnine-related alkaloids gelsemine and gelseminine and should not be consumed. The sap may cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals. Children, mistaking this flower for honeysuckle, have been poisoned by sucking the nectar from the flower. The nectar is also toxic to honeybees, which may cause brood death when gathered by the bees. The nectar may, however, be beneficial to bumblebees. It has been shown that bumblebees fed on gelsemine have a reduced load of Crithidia bombi in their fecal matter after 7 days, although this difference was not significant after 10 days. Reduced parasite load increases foraging efficiency, and pollinators may selectively collect otherwise toxic secondary metabolites as a means of self-medication.
The plant can be lethal to livestock.
Despite the hazards, this is a popular garden plant in warmer areas, frequently being trained to grow over arbors or to cover walls. In the UK, it has won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It can be grown outdoors in mild and coastal areas of the UK (to a lower limit of −5 °C (23 °F)), but elsewhere must be grown under glass. It requires a sheltered position in full sun or light shade.
| Common name | Carolina Jessamine, Carolina Yellow Jessamine, Yellow Jessamine |
| Botanical name | Gelsemium sempervirens |
| Family | Loganiaceae |
| Species | sempervirens |
| Origin | SE. U.S.A. to Honduras |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Plant type | Ground Cover |
| Hardiness zone | 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Sunlight | Full Sun |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Soil condition | High Organic Matter |
| Soil ph | Acid |
| Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Growth rate | Medium |
| Spacing | 6 – ft. – 12 ft. |
| Harvest time | Fall |
| Flowering period | Fall |
| Height | 1- 20 ft. |
| Width | 1- 20 ft. |
| Flower color | Gold, Yellow |
| Leaf color | Gold, Yellow |
| Fruit color | Brown, Copper |
| Stem color | Brown, Copper |
| Fruit type | Capsule |
| Leaf benefit | Long-lasting |
| Flower benefit | Fragrant |
| Garden style | Butterfly Garden |
| Uses | Naturalized Area |
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
The Carolina Jessamine vine thrives under full sun and partial shade. It flowers in both situations, but better blooms are seen when the plant is given an interrupted 6-hour long exposure to full sunlight.
Temperature and Humidity
As a sun-loving vine, this plant loves to be planted in a warm environment.
Watering
Having a moist growing environment is highly favorable for the growth of Carolina Jessamine. Hence, the application of moderate amounts of water frequently is recommended.
Soil
Being a non-picky perennial, the Carolina jasmine vine flourishes when planted in damp but well-drained soil with enough organic matter. Some of the types of soil it prefers are the clay, loam, sandy, clay loam, and sandy loam soils.
Also, this vine favors acidic to slightly basic soil pH ranging from pH 5.5 to 7.2.
Fertilizing
To help carolina jasmine bloom most prolifically, give it a small amount of fertilizer; too much will reduce the number of blooms this plant produces. Use a balanced, all-purpose mixture and apply it with regular watering every few months during the growing period. A slow-release fertilizer works best, as it can provide small doses of nutrition throughout the season.
Pruning
Carolina jessamine vines can get leggy and top heavy if not properly pruned once a year.
Bring out the clippers after it blooms in the spring. Clean out the old, dead stems and do some general cleanup, cutting it a bit smaller than the full size you’re aiming for.
If you’re growing jessamine as a ground cover, keep the vines trimmed to about three feet long, but be sure to do the spring trimming only after the bloom period.
Propagation
Propagating Carolina Jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens) can be done through various methods.
- From Seed
Carolina jessamine is easily started from seed.
If you are collecting seeds, pick pods in the fall after the seeds inside have turned brown. Refrigerate the seeds until you’re ready to use them to keep them fresh and viable.
Plant the seeds in a well-draining growing medium, and place the pots or trays indoors, in a place where they receive bright light throughout the day.
Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate in seven to 10 days, then water twice a week.
If you’ve started your seedlings in the fall, they should be ready to transplant outdoors in the spring, while it’s still cool.
If you start seeds later than fall, you’ll be better off letting them mature in their containers until the next fall before setting them out.
- From Cuttings
This plant will root from semi-hardwood cuttings.
Using a clean, sharp implement, cut a four- to six-inch piece of stem late in the growing season when the new year’s growth has matured, in mid- to late summer.
Fill a pot with good drainage with a good-quality growing medium. Insert a pencil into the soil and remove it to create a hole to receive the cutting.
Strip the leaves from the bottom third of your cutting, dip the cutting into powdered rooting hormone, and place the cutting into the hole in the prepared container.
Keep the growing medium evenly moist, in a warm area with indirect light, until the cutting begins to root. This should take about 10 to 12 weeks.
After you see growth, you can reduce waterings a bit. In autumn, feed the plants once a month with one teaspoon of NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer per quart of potting mix. In winter, reduce the quantity of fertilizer to one-half teaspoon.
Keep your new plants in a protected place until early spring, and then transplant outdoors when it’s still cool.
Keep in mind that you may not see newly rooted jessamine cuttings bloom for the first three years.
- Division
Another way to get more plants is by dividing the rhizomes. Start by digging up your jessamine in September or October. Remove the excess soil from the rhizomes, and then cut them into pieces, making sure that each rhizome has at least one bud on it.
Bury the rhizomes in the ground to about the same depth they were planted when you dug them up, and water well. Continue to water twice a week throughout winter. In spring, you should see some above-ground activity.
- From Seedlings and Transplanting
Transplant purchased or homegrown seedlings by simply digging a hole the same size as the container from which you are transplanting, and then placing your new plant in the hole.
You’re best off planting in early spring or fall, when it’s cool.
Water well, and add mulch around the planting area.
- Layering
Yet another propagation method takes advantage of jessamine’s willingness to put down roots wherever it comes in contact with soil.
In summertime, simply trail a vine along the ground, burying five-inch segments at regular intervals, leaving eight to 10 inches between buried segments. For even better success, administer a small, slanting cut a quarter of the way through the portions of the stem you intend to bury.
Give your layered length of vine some extra water – twice a week. Once the segments have rooted, cut the mother vine to separate the rooted portions.
Carefully dig up the rooted portions and replant as desired, as described in the seedlings and transplanting section above.
Pests and Diseases
Carolina jessamine has no serious disease or insect problems.
If the leaves stay wet for an extended period, you may see some fungal leaf spotting, which presents as brown, tan, or black spots and can be treated with a fungicide.
You may occasionally see aphids on jessamine.
Aphids are tiny, sap-sucking insects that may be green, red, brown, yellow, or black. They harm plants by sucking essential fluids from leaves and other plant parts.
Use insecticidal soap to kill these pests, or get rid of minor infestations with a strong spray from a garden hose. See our guide to learn more about controlling aphids in your garden.
Maintenance
The Carolina jasmine vines can take care of its own once it is established in the landscape.
Aside from the available soil, another limiting factor for a twining vine is the supporting structures that will expand the vertical space for the plant to grow.
Providing adequate and sturdy supporting materials such as fences and trellises will help the vine grow freely and bloom.
Another maintenance activity to be done is pruning, especially after flowering. In doing so, the vine is replenished and will produce better blossoms in the following seasons.
Moreover, regular removal of dead plant parts is important to ensure the plant’s health, as this lessens its susceptibility to diseases. Remember to clean all equipment used in maintenance to avoid the accidental spread of plant pathogens.
III. Uses and Benefits
This versatile vine provides function and glamor, making it ideal for growing plants in various settings. Thanks to its crawling habit, it is trained to twine and cling to arbors, trellises, and fences to serve as a screen or green wall, making it a good plant to incorporate into vertical landscaping.
Also, this serves as a beautiful foundation plant that will soften concrete structures in the landscape. This vine may also serve as a mounding ground cover, making a carpet-like appearance with beautiful bright yellow flowers.
The grandeur of the Carolina jasmine does not only entice landscape users but also wildlife, such as hummingbirds and insects.
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