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Carolina Jessamine
Gelsemium sempervirens
Reviewed by Kiersten Rankel M.S.
QUICK ANSWER
Ground layering is the easiest method and produces a rooted vine in 8 to 12 weeks by pinning a low stem to the soil. Semi hardwood cuttings root in 6 to 10 weeks under high humidity and let you take many starts at once.
Division works in 1 to 2 weeks on mature plants that have spread by underground runners but only yields one or two new vines per parent.
Division works in 1 to 2 weeks on mature plants that have spread by underground runners but only yields one or two new vines per parent.
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Pick your method
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Ground layering
Best for the most reliable single new vine
Semi hardwood cuttings
Best in late summer for taking many starts
Division
Best when your plant has spread by runners
Ground layering
Time
8–12 weeks
Level
Beginner
Success rate
High
You'll need
Long flexible stem still on the parent vine
Garden trowel
Landscape pin or bent wire
Sharp knife
1 gallon pot for transplanting
1
Pick a flexible stem
In late spring, find a stem at least two feet long that bends to the soil without snapping. Carolina jessamine sends out long shoots each season that root readily where they touch ground. Pick a stem that has firm but not yet woody growth.
2
Wound the contact point
Bend the stem down and mark where it meets the soil. Scrape a half inch strip of bark off the underside at that point with a sharp knife. The wound exposes inner tissue and triggers root formation.
3
Bury and pin
Dig a shallow trench two inches deep at the contact point. Lay the wounded section in the trench and pin it down with a landscape pin or bent wire. Cover with soil, leaving the stem tip with several leaves above ground.
4
Water and mulch
Water the buried section thoroughly and mulch with two inches of straw or leaf litter. Keep the soil consistently moist for the first three weeks.
Carolina jessamine roots fastest when the soil never fully dries out during the first month.
Carolina jessamine roots fastest when the soil never fully dries out during the first month.
5
Sever from the parent
At 8 to 10 weeks, gently dig down to check for roots on the buried section. White roots an inch or longer mean the layer is ready. Cut the stem between the parent and the rooted section with sharp pruners.
6
Transplant carefully
Lift the rooted section with a generous root ball. Pot into a 1 gallon container with regular potting mix or transplant directly to its new home. Carolina jessamine sap is toxic, so wash hands after handling. Water deeply for two weeks.
WATCH FOR
The buried stem yellows and shrivels rather than rooting. The contact point dried out before roots formed. Add more mulch over the buried section and water every other day during dry weather to keep the soil consistently damp.
Semi hardwood cuttings
Time
6–10 weeks
Level
Intermediate
Success rate
Moderate
You'll need
Sterile bypass pruners
Rooting hormone with IBA (recommended)
Disposable gloves (sap is toxic)
4 inch pots with drainage
Perlite and peat mix (50/50)
1
Cut in late summer
Take 4 to 6 inch tip cuttings in August or early September from current season growth that has firmed up. The wood should bend without snapping but feel woody at the base. Wear gloves since all parts of Carolina jessamine are toxic.
2
Strip lower leaves
Remove all leaves from the bottom two thirds of the cutting. Leave three or four small leaves at the tip. Less leaf area means less water loss while roots form.
3
Dip in rooting hormone
Wet the bottom inch and dip into IBA rooting powder. Tap off excess. Carolina jessamine roots reasonably without hormone but rates jump from about 40 percent to 70 percent with it.
4
Stick into the medium
Push each cutting one inch deep into a 4 inch pot of moist perlite peat mix. Firm the medium around the stem so the cutting stands on its own. Water once until it drains.
5
Cover with humidity
Place a clear dome or inverted plastic bag over the pot. Set in bright indirect light at 70 to 80 degrees. Lift the cover for ten minutes daily to refresh the air and prevent fungal growth.
6
Pot up at 6 weeks
Give a gentle tug. Resistance means roots have formed. Remove the dome over a week to harden off, then transplant rooted cuttings to 1 gallon pots. Keep in dappled shade for the first month, then move to sun.
WATCH FOR
The cutting collapses suddenly with leaves still green. Roots failed to form before the stored energy ran out. Check humidity inside the dome stays above 80 percent and that the medium drains rather than holding water.
Division
Time
1–2 weeks
Level
Beginner
Success rate
High
You'll need
Garden fork or spade
Sharp pruners
Disposable gloves (sap is toxic)
Compost
Watering can
1
Find a rooted runner
In early spring or fall, look at the base of an established Carolina jessamine for shoots that have rooted where they touched the ground. Mature plants spread by self layering naturally. Each rooted shoot can become a new plant.
2
Dig around the rooted section
Slide a garden fork four inches outside the rooted shoot and rock it back to lift the section with its roots intact. Keep the root ball as undisturbed as possible. Wear gloves since the sap can irritate skin.
3
Sever from the parent
Cut the connecting runner between the parent vine and the lifted section with sharp pruners. Make a clean cut just outside the new root mass. The division now has its own roots and can support itself.
4
Trim and replant
Cut the leafy stems back by half to reduce water loss while the division settles in. Plant immediately in a hole the same depth as the original root ball, amended with a shovel of compost.
Firm the soil and water deeply right after planting.
Firm the soil and water deeply right after planting.
5
Water and mulch
Water every three days for the first two weeks. Mulch with two inches of bark or straw to hold moisture and suppress weeds. New leaves emerging from the trimmed stems confirm the division has rooted in.
WATCH FOR
The division wilts even when the soil is moist. Roots were torn during lifting and cannot pull water fast enough. Trim the stems back another third, shade the plant for a week, and resist the urge to keep watering since saturated soil drowns damaged roots.
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About This Article
Kiersten Rankel M.S.
Botanical Data Lead at Greg · Plant Scientist
Editorial Process
Propagation methods verified against Gelsemium sempervirens growth data from Greg's botanical database, cross-referenced with USDA hardiness zone data and published horticultural research.
239+ Greg users growing this plant
USDA hardiness zones 7a–9b