Carolina Jessamine
Gelsemium sempervirens
Yellow trumpet flowers blanket the vine in late winter, before forsythia, with a soft honeyed scent. Semi-evergreen and easy on any fence or trellis.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
It blooms when nothing else does and smells like the first promise of spring. February never looked so good.
Carolina jessamine blooms in late winter to early spring when almost nothing else does. and when it does, the show is unmistakable. Trumpet-shaped yellow flowers cover the entire vine in a wave of color that arrives before the forsythia, often while frost is still possible. The scent is soft, sweet, and slightly honeyed. Open a window on a warm February afternoon and it drifts in. Semi-evergreen in zone 7 and warmer, the glossy dark foliage holds through mild winters and gives the vine year-round structure. It climbs by twining, so fences, trellises, and railings suit it well. Early hummingbirds and native bees find the flowers before most other plants have opened. A reliable, low-drama vine that earns its place on any structure it touches.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown carolina jessamine propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Mature size
- 8'–20' · 36-72 inches wide
- Bloom time
- Late winter to early spring
- Family
- Gelsemiaceae
- Native range
- Southeastern United States
Care notes for carolina jessamine.
Thrives in full sun to part shade, well-drained soil. Drought tolerant once established. Prune immediately after spring bloom. pruning later removes next year's flower buds. All parts are toxic if ingested; plant away from areas where children and pets graze. Minimal feeding required; compost at planting is sufficient.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside carolina jessamine.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.