Clematis Queen of Vines Dennis Morgeson Agent For Horticulture Washington County
Plant Characteristics • Clematis (KLEM-a-tis) but we are in Kentucky so its (kle-MATIS), from Greek meaning vine • Member of the Rununculacea (buttercup) family • Genus clematis contains approximately 250 species and numerous garden hybrids • The genus is varied in that it has a variety of flower forms, colors, bloom season, foliage effect, and plant height
Plant Characteristics • The leaves of clematis are opposite and mostly compound with three to five leaflets • The leaf stalk (petiole) twines like a tendril and gives the plant support • The flowers do not have true petals, they are actually petal like sepals
Plant Characteristics • Three general flower forms: • Small panicles or loose clusters • Bell or urn shapes • Flat or open • The clematis fruit is showy, a ball shaped feathery structure
Plant Characteristics • Large flowered hybrid clematis can have blooms ranging from 4 to 10 inches and as many as 100 flowers at a time • Species types have blooms ranging from ½ to 3 inches in diameter with diverse shapes and habit and many species types have fragrant blooms (usually missing from hybrids)
Plant Characteristics • Clematis are hardy to at least zone 3 and are generally long lived plants and can survive for 25 or more years
History • Little interest in clematis until the 1850’s when crosses and improvements were made • Japan and China became the parents of many hybrids • In the 1890’s breeding took place in Europe and many of those varieties are parents of todays hybrids • The leading hybridizer in Britain was Jackman Nursery which produced C x. jacmanii in 1862 which is still the most popular clematis today
History • In the 1880’s interest in clematis died down to wilt diseases • Fast forward to today and there is renewed interest in clematis particularly hardy, disease resistant, and small flowered types
Site Requirements • Clematis have a reputation of being difficult to grow but if their needs are met they will thrive • They require 6 or more hours of sunlight, however dappled shade in the heat of the day may increase bloom life • Some hybrids fade quickly in too much sun and may appreciate no more than 6 hours of sun, Eastern Exposure is good for those
Site Requirements • The site should be open enough to allow good air flow around the plants • Well draining soil with organic matter with a pH around 7 • Clematis want foliage in the sun and the root systems kept moist and cool, mulch will be very beneficial
Soil Preparation • Soil Test! The only way you know for sure you have the correct phosphorus, potassium, and pH. • The planting area should be prepared 24 inches deep and 3 feet wide, adding by volume 1/3 compost or manure will increase fertility and drainage
Support • Consider the ultimate size and height of the plant and plan on trellising accordingly • Plant can be grown without support if allowed to sprawl over walls or wood piles • Trellising should be thin as the plants climb by twining leaves around support
Acquiring Plants • • • •
Plants are readily available at nurseries Male order will give the best selection Clematis do not like much root disturbance Select plants that have healthy stems and dark green leaves • Bare root plants should be obtained in March and planted immediately
Small Plants • Small plants can get off to a better start if you pot them in one gallon containers the first summer • This will allow a nice rootball to form and the plants can be planted in September allowing them to root in well before winter • Fertilizing the plants through the season will increase size quickly (stop in late August)
Planting and Establishing • After amending the soil as previously stated dig a hole to accommodate the root ball • Cut stems back to 12 inches, this will help the plant branch and reduce breakage while planting • The crown of the plant should be 1-2 inches below the soil line • This allows the plant to grow back if it is accidently mowed off or eaten to the grown by animals
Planting and Establishing • Water well after backfilling with soil • If planting bare root soak plant in water for up to one hour to hydrate before planting • Because clematis like to have cool root systems mulch around the plant 2 inches deep and plan to plant a shallow rooted groundcover under the plant (Artemisia ‘Silver Mound’, hardy geraniums, creeping phlox, coral bells etc.
Planting and Establishing • In the first season growth will be slow and little if any blooms • Root establishment is the goal, with any balanced fertilizer with half pound per 50 square feet around each plant • Plants require one inch of rain or equivalent to maintain vigor
Annual Maintenance • Once established little is needed except watering in dry spells and mulch renewal as it decomposes
Pruning • Pruning is to help the plant produce the maximum number of flowers • Older neglected plants can be cut back into older wood to force new buds to break • Unpruned plants may have weak new growth and slow • Unpruned plants will still flower profusely but the flowers may not be where we want them
Pruning • Many times unpruned clematis have flowers high up with bare bottoms (not what we want) • Not all clematis can be pruned in the same way to optimize growth and flowers • Pruning methods are based on when the plants flower, for this clematis are grouped in A,B,C categories
Group A: Early Flowering • This group blooms in early spring, generally in April and May from buds produced the previous season • Prune this group after flowering before the end of July, this allows new growth to take place and flower buds to develop before winter • Remove shoots that have flowered, you can also prune to thin out shoots etc. at that time. Plant sin this group are C. alpina, C. macropetala, C. armanii, C. montana, and C. chrysocoma
Group B: Large-flowered Hybrids • This group blooms in mid-June on short stems from previous season’s growth and again often again in late summer on new growth • Prune in February or March by removing dead and weak stems, then cut back remaining stems to the topmost pair of large , plump green buds • Plants in this group tend to have naked bottoms so plant accordingly • You make get new growth at the base by cutting he plant down to 18 inches immediately after June flowering • Plants in this group include Nelly Moser, Miss Bateman, Lasursten, Duchess of Edinburgh, Mrs. Cholomondeley etc.
Group C: Late Flowering • This group flowers on the last two to three feet of the current seasons growth • Some varieties begin blooming in mid June and continue into fall • This is the easiest group to prune as you don’t have to worry about maintaining old wood to flower • In February or March cut each stem to a height of about two to three feet • Plants in this group includes C. viticella, C. flammula, C. tangutica, C. x jackmanii, Perle d’Azur, Royal Velours, Duchess of Albany etc.
Problems • Fungal stem rot and leaf spot caused by the fungus Ascochyta clematidina commonly calld “Wilt” • This occurs most often on large flowered hybrids, individual stems wilt and turn black usually just as the flowers are beginning to open
Problems • This generally occurs on sporadic stems and any infected stems should be taken out down to healthy tissue, or even to the ground • Plants usually recover from new buds that break below ground
Problems • Powdery mildew can also be a foliar problem and should be treated with a fungicide such as cleary’s 3336, chlorothalonil, or mancozeb • Mildew is generally not a problem on plants with good air circulation • Really no major insect problems • Rabbits and voles can be a problem in winter
Propagation • Plants can be started by cuttings or layering • Cuttings should be made in May or June on half-hardened shoots of the current season’s growth • Use rooting mix of two parts sand and one part peat as well as a rooting hormone • Keep the humidity high, warmth and light are also keys to success • Plants may take two months to root
Propagation • Layering is the easiest method of clematis propagation • In the fall choose a mature stem produced earlier in the season or previous season • Bend the stem over and secure a node in the soil or a container of soil • Rooting will take place within 12 months, then it can be detached and transplanted
Transplanting • Clematis can be transplanted in the fall, late winter, early spring before new growth occurs • Dig a root ball as large as possible (make sure the soil is moist) • The more roots you can preserve the higher chance of success you will have • Follow the recommendations for soil amending and planting as discussed earlier
Variety
tangutica Flower: 1 - 2" buttercup-yellow nodding flowers producing ornamental seed heads. Bloom time: July thru September Height: 10 - 12' Prune: Hard (group 3) Zones: 4 - 8
tangutica Helios Flower: Yellow lantern-like flowers. Bloom time: July thru October Height: 4 - 6' Prune: Hard (group 3) Zones: 4 - 8
Minuet Flower: 1 - 3" semi-nodding, creamy-white with mauve-red veins edged with deep purple. Bloom time: July to September Height: 9 – 12’ Prune :Hard (group 3) Zones: 4 - 8
My Angel Flower: 1 - 2" nodding flowers, yellow inside orange outside(ornamental seed heads.) Bloom time: July to October Height: 8’ Prune: Hard (group 3) Zones: 4 - 8
911 Flower: 6-8" sky-blue flowers with cream stamens and curved sepals, named in honor of the 911 victims. Bloom time: May and June Height: 6-8" Prune: Moderate (group 2) Zones: 4 - 8
Suzanne Flower: 6" very symmetrical pink with rose bar semi double flowers appear on new growth. Bloom time: May and June, August and September Height: 6-8" Prune :Moderate (group 2) Zones: 4 - 8
Tie Dye Flower: 4-6" violet-purple with white marbling through out. Bloom time: June and July Height: 6-8" Prune: Moderate (group 2) Zones: 4-8 .
Viticella Purpurea Plena Flower: 2-3" violet-purple double nodding flowers. Bloom time: July to September Height: 8-10' Prune: Hard (group 3) Zones: 3 - 8
Prince Phillip Flower: 7-9" violet-purple flowers with reddish bar. Bloom time: May and June Height: 10-12' Prune: Moderate (group 2) Zones: 4 - 8
Snow Queen Flower: 5-7" large white with a hint of blue at the margins and striking dark purplish-red stamens Bloom time: May, June, and August Height: 8-12' Prune: Moderate (group 2) Zones: 4 - 8
Hendryetta Flower: 2-3" small pink bell-shaped. Bloom time: June to September Height: 6-8' Prune: Hard (group 3) Zones: 5 - 8
Clematis macropetala are strong climbing plants and flower prolifically from late spring through early summer. They produce beautiful and unusual double spikey flowers, followed by attractive seed heads.
Big deep blue flowers with twisted petals. Herbaceous, does not climb. Compact bushy plants 18"
Variety Bourbon ™ Zone 4 - 9 BloomStartToEnd Early Summer - Mid Summer ClematisPruning Group 2
Questions