Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), a fast-growing evergreen climbing vine, produces fragrant yellow flowers in the late spring and summer. It generally grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9, although it can survive areas that have significant frost in the winter if it receives plenty of sunshine. Because it grows so quickly, the Carolina jessamine can require trimming several times during the growing season to keep the tendrils in check.
Put on long sleeves and gloves before trimming a Carolina jessamine. The sap can irritate your skin.
Trim dead or dying vines -- those without leaves or with wilting leaves -- in the winter and early spring by clipping them at the base of the vine with pruning shears.
Cut back the vine in midsummer after the plant has finished blooming. Carolina jessamine grows quickly during the blooming season. If you need to keep it contained to a specific area, such as a fence or trellis, cut vines that are too long in midsummer. Use pruning shears to remove the vines at the base, which could be the main stem or another vine.
Trim the plant back more severely toward the end of fall, removing interior vines to thin out the plant. Prune them back to their bases. This helps more light and nutrients reach the remaining branches during the winter, keeping it hardy and thriving in the colder months.
Things You Will Need
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Pruning shears
- Keep children and pets away from a Carolina jessamine. All parts of the plant are poisonous if eaten.