Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Gelsemiaceae

Genus:

Gelsemium

Species:

Gelsemium rankinii

USDA Symbol:

GERA4

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Vine

Height:

600 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers habitats like swamps and wet woods

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate best with cold stratification and consistent moisture.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI