You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
Hardiness: USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F) USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F) USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
Sun Exposure: Full Sun Sun to Partial Shade Light Shade
Danger: Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color: Bright Yellow
Bloom Time: Mid Spring Late Spring/Early Summer Mid Summer
Foliage: Evergreen
Other details: Flowers are fragrant Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline)
On Feb 28, 2008, diehrdsouthrnr from Bluffton, SC (Zone 9a) wrote:
this is the state flower of SC, and it grows and blooms profusely in the wild in zone 7 and up. here in SE SC it blooms usually in February starting at or before Valentines day. the fragrance is wonderful
On Mar 11, 2007, cactusman102 from Lawrence, KS wrote:
I am experimenting survivability with this cultivar this year. Anyone had any success in zone 5b/6a? I expect it to die to the ground and come back as a perennial vine each year.
On Oct 18, 2006, luvbamboo from San Antonio, TX wrote:
I live in NE San Antonio, and have had this plant for almost ten years. It is planted on the North corner of my backyard, and has climbed up to my roof, and I have stringers going to side and along back of house. In third week of Feb. it blooms like CRAZY!! And I am a bit stunned that it is budding right now, Mid Oct. and already has some blooms...(???) I have lots of seed pods, but have not taken much time to get any going. Ones have dropped to the ground, and start off but it seems slow growing. Thanks for reading!
On Jun 29, 2006, joywhi1 from Kelseyville, CA wrote:
Grew this plant in Huntington Beach, CA. Beautiful yellow flowers in Spring, then whispy light green folage the rest of the year. A very fast grower. Temperature was approx. 40 to 90 degrees and it was in afternoon sun. Needs to be supported, gets to 15-20 ft, if you let it.
On May 30, 2006, joegee from Bucyrus, OH (Zone 6a) wrote:
This cultivar of gelsemium sempervirens was one of the 2005 Gold Medal Plant Winners of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. It was chosen in part for its superior sized, fragrant yellow flowers, and in part for its cold-hardiness. According to hgtv.com, this cultivar has survived a -25 F cold spell with no damage.
It is a versatile vine and is adaptable to many soil conditions, but some in the southern United States consider it invasive.
Update:
Margarita finishes its first season outside in Bucyrus, Ohio with no appreciable winter damage. Our coldest temperature was 0 Fahrenheit, but this vine stayed evergreen. There was no defoliation. I'd expect this to be root hardy even if the top of the vine were killed. 0 Fahrenheit doesn't phaze it, though.
Regional...
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Bessemer, Alabama Huntington Beach, California Taylorsville, Kentucky Baton Rouge, Louisiana Plain Dealing, Louisiana Kure Beach, North Carolina Bucyrus, Ohio Beaufort, South Carolina Bluffton, South Carolina Conway, South Carolina Broaddus, Texas Dallas, Texas San Antonio, Texas Wharton, Texas