Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is in the family Gelsemiaceae. Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,559 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in March.
Nationally it blooms mainly from February to March, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Yellow Jessamine: observations by month (U.S.)
About Yellow Jessamine
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 jasmine, Carolina jasmine or jessamine, evening trumpetflower, gelsemium and woodbine.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Yellow Jessamine by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 356 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Florida | 325 | February | Jan–Mar |
| Mississippi | 258 | March | Feb–Mar |
| South Carolina | 143 | March | Feb–Mar |
| North Carolina | 112 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Alabama | 105 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Texas | 103 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Louisiana | 89 | February | Feb–Mar |
| Virginia | 53 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Arkansas | 11 | March | Mar–Mar |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Yellow Jessamine?
Nationally, March has the most observations, with the main season from February to March.
Where is Yellow Jessamine most often seen?
The most observations come from Georgia, Florida, Mississippi.