CLEMATIS

Commonly known as Virgin's bower

Showy, sometimes possibly too showy, long-flowering climbers with variety of shape and colour for all the year.

Genus of more than 200 species of deciduous, twining leaf-climbers, scandent shrubs, subshrubs and sometimes woody-based herbaceous perennials from Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australasia, North America and Central America.

More than 400 cultivars are in cultivation. Native perennial Traveller's joy or Old man's beard (C. vitalba) is a plant of hedgerows and wood edges. The climbing stems can reach to 30m.

Full Plant Details - Sun/Soil & other attributes

Good to know
Syn. var. flore-pleno. Prune out dead and damaged stems in early spring. Cut back all other stems to strong buds.
Pests & Diseases
cutworms, aphids on young plants, whiteflies under glass. Clematis wilt.
Place of origin
Japan.
Deciduous
Or semi-evergreen.
White
Greenish white
Double
Multi rows of petals, no stamen showing
Saucer-shaped
To 12cm (4¾in) across
Fully hardy
Entire
Lanceolate
Ovate
Height
4m (13ft)
Spread
1m (39in)
Climber
Some of these climbing plants will need trellis or wire supports if grown on walls or fences. Other grow aerial roots and are self-clinging

Mid-season flowering species. Produces flowers singly or in cymes
Hardy - average winter
Hardy through most of the UK apart from inland valleys, at altitude and central/northerly locations. May suffer foliage damage and stem dieback in harsh winters in cold gardens. Plant can withstand temperatures down to -10°C (14°F)
Summer Seasonal Interest
Fertile well drained soil
Humus-rich. Mulch in late winter.
Full sun
Provide shade for roots and base of plant.
Partial shade
harmful if eaten
Pets, i.e. cats, dogs, rabbits, rodents, notably rabbits
skin irritant
People
Rabbit Resistant