Sunny yellow trumpet-shaped flowers and emerald green leaves make Carolina jessamine an eye-catching vine. It’s native to the Southeastern US, but grows well in the desert. But before you plant one, be aware that all parts are highly toxic. Here’s how to plant and care for this evergreen vine.
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is a cheerful, subtropical vine native to the southeastern United States that thrives in the desert southwest.
This evergreen vine is a colorful plant. It has glossy emerald-green leaves that turn bronze in cold weather. Its fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers are lemon-yellow. Its wiry, twining stems are red-brown.
Unlike many heat-loving, flowering vines, it’s well-mannered and doesn’t need a lot of pruning to keep it from taking over your yard.
It blooms from late winter to spring, providing bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with nectar when few sources are available. It’s deer and rabbit resistant.
Why I Like This Plant
- Evergreen emerald leaves and sunny yellow flowers
- Well-behaved, minimal pruning
- Low maintenance, low litter
- Provides winter nectar to wildlife
Things to Watch Out For
Important warning! ⚠️ All parts of Carolina jessamine are extremely toxic and can be lethal to people, pets, and livestock. (You’ll find more information on this plant’s toxicity at the end of this article.)
Some people experience dermatitis after handling the leaves, so wear gloves when working around this plant.
It is extremely flammable and should not be planted next to your house. 🔥
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a Carolina jessamine to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep it healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Carolina jessamine should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 – 11. It thrives in a wide range of temperatures. It doesn’t mind the heat of Phoenix in the summer and is cold hardy down to 10℉. It’s evergreen, but the foliage turns bronze during extreme cold.
Sun Exposure
Carolina jessamine can be grown in full sun to light shade, but it blooms most profusely in full sun. Plants can struggle when grown along a west-facing wall, the hottest spot in the garden.
Size and Growth Rate
Carolina jessamine is a fast-growing, medium size vine that typically reaches a size of 10 to 15 feet high and wide. A plant’s mature size depends on how happy it is in its space, and how it’s watered and pruned.
Soil
Carolina jessamine prefers organically rich soil. In its natural habitat, it’s found climbing trees in subtropical forests and woodlands.
But it’s tolerant of desert soil, provided it’s well-draining. Covering the ground with compost or mulch helps to improve its surrounding soil.
Other Location Considerations
Carolina jessamine is a twining vine that readily grows up any nearby support structure such as a trellis, lattice, or fence to form an evergreen screen.
If left unsupported, it can be grown as an informal, sprawling ground cover on banks and slopes.
If you don’t have room for a vine of this size, you can grow one in a large container provided you give it something it to climb. Growing in a pot slows its growth and limits its mature size.
⚠️ Important warning! ⚠️
All parts of Carolina jessamine are extremely toxic.
Ingestion can be lethal to people, pets, and livestock.
Carolina Jessamine:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Carolina jessamine |
| Scientific Name | Gelsemium sempervirens |
| Origin | Southeastern US to Central America |
| Plant Type | Evergreen vine |
| USDA Zones | Zones 6 – 10 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 10℉ |
| Flower Color | Yellow |
| Flower Season | Winter, spring |
| Mature Size | 10-15′ high x 10-15′ wide |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Full sun, light shade |
| Water Needs | Moderate |
| Pests & Diseases | None |
| Cautions | Extremely toxic |
| Wildlife | Attracts hummingbirds, bees, butterflies |
How to Plant
The rule of thumb when planting any vine in the desert is to dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper.
Amending the soil is not recommended. Counterintuitively, backfilling with the same native soil you just dug up helps your plant develop a stronger root system. But you can top dress with compost or mulch.
When to Plant
The best time to plant Carolina jessamine is in the fall. This gives your vine three seasons to grow roots and get established before the following summer.
The second best time is in spring, the earlier the better. This still gives your plant time to get established before the intense heat of June arrives.
How to Care for Carolina Jessamine
Whether you’ve recently planted a Carolina jessamine or have an existing plant in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water New Plants
Once you’ve got your Carolina jessamine in the ground, watering is your most immediate concern. Here’s a recommended watering schedule for new vines planted in the spring or fall.
| Weeks 1 & 2 | Every 3 – 4 days |
| Weeks 3 & 4 | Every 6 – 7 days |
| Weeks 5 & 6 | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Weeks 7 & 8 | Every 10 – 14 days |
After week 8, gradually revise your watering schedule, depending on the season.
How to Water Established Plants
Here’s a recommended watering schedule for subsequent years.
| Spring & Fall | Every 10 – 14 days |
| Summer | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Winter | Every 14 – 21 days |
Carolina jessamine prefers consistently moist soil but is somewhat drought tolerant once established.
Should You Fertilize?
Since Carolina jessamine is a prolific bloomer and not native to the desert, it benefits from an application of fertilizer in the spring.
How to Prune
Unlike some of the more vigorous vines (i.e., queen’s wreath and tangerine crossvine), Carolina jessamine grows manageably and needs minimal pruning.
You can lightly prune it after it’s done blooming to shape or remove any dead or damaged branches.
Plant Lover Facts
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) goes by many common names including yellow jessamine, confederate jessamine, Carolina jasmine, Carolina yellow jasmine, false jasmine, evening trumpetflower, and woodbine.
The genus name Gelsemium is a Latinized form of the Italian word for jasmine, gelsomino.
Despite its common name, the species is not a “true jasmine” and does not belong to the jasmine genus Jasminum.
It’s a common sight throughout the southeast and is the state flower of South Carolina.
Its native range includes the US southeast and south through Mexico to Honduras. It occurs as far west as Texas, making it a “near native” to the southwest.
More on Toxicity
All parts of this vine contain two strychnine-related alkaloids, gelsemine and gelseminine, making this entire plant highly toxic. When too much nectar is consumed, it can even be toxic to honeybees. Tragically, there have been a few fatalities when children have ingested parts of this plant.
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for over 15 years.
Photo Credits
Kenpei, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
H. Zell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons