In the shade of Yellow Jasmine

Yellow Jasmine is a highly ornamental climbing or trailing plant native to the southern part of the North America, from the eastern part of Virginia to Florida and Texas, south to Mexico and Guatemala. Alternate names include Carolina Jasmine, Carolina wild woodbine, or evening trumpet-flower.

It’s climbing ability, with a full smooth leafy covering of leaves and woody vine, and delightful perfume exhaled by its yellow trumpet shaped flowers has made it a natural choice for providing shade over manmade structures such as Pergolas, Arbors or Trellises.

It’s also claimed as a homeopathic remedy, Gelsemium (Yellow Jasmine), and indicated for headaches, nervous disorders, infectious diseases, paralysis, spasmodic conditions, apprehension, stage fright, flu symptoms, fever and migraine headaches.

Last fall, as we tried to regain some enjoyment and use of our then desolate backyard through landscaping, we added a Pergola. This spring we planted two Yellow Jasmine vines beside the Pergola posts to let them begin their up and over journey.

The above photo is Yellow Jasmine but isn’t our Pergola — this image is from a nearby park. Ours hasn’t grown to this wonderful level of natural shade, although it has grown 10-12 feet in just a few months.

I’m looking forward to days of sitting in our yard under it’s cooling shade smelling the wonderfully sweet Jasmine blooms perhaps while taking a few photos of the vine patterns or attracted insects — always a photographer.