Gelsemium rankinii Fragrant is one of the finest

is one of the finest native broadleaf evergreens of eastern North America

well-sited plants and good culture matter most there

including the variety 'Richard'

the small purple-maroon spring flowers giving way

a low evergreen in a shaded border

Gelsemium rankinii Fragrant is one of the finestGelsemium rankinii is one of the South's gentler mysteries, a twining, semi evergreen vine that has long threaded through the quiet wetlands and river margins of the Gulf Coast. Where other vines sprawl boldly, the swamp jessamine moves with a kind of restraint, weaving through shrubs and small trees on glossy, fine textured foliage, with a poise born of deep, humid landscapes. In spring, and again in fall, the vine shows a clear kinship: clusters of