Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Large

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Subtropical woodland

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Toxins

Status

Uncommon

About

This woody vine climbs over trees and fences throughout the southeastern states. Every part of the plant contains a potent toxin that paralyzes the muscles of any insect that eats it.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Gentianales

Family

Gelsemiaceae

Genus

Gelsemium

Species

Gelsemium sempervirens