CLEMATIS
Clematis are long lived vines that get more beautiful with every passing year. Large flowers come in a myriad of shapes and colors and adorn the vines starting in late spring/ early summer. Some varieties will even rebloom later in the summer and fall. Even after flowering, they leave behind a fluffy seed head for added effect. There are compact varieties that can grow well in a pot with support, and some that grow up to 20 feet tall, rambling over fences, trellises, and arbors. Clematis use their leaf stems to climb, wrapping their tendrils around anything for support. However, these twining leaf stems are relatively short, and can only wrap themselves around something thats less than a 1/4" diameter, an important factor in determining where to plant your vines or what support to provide. Clematis do not like to be moved, so choose your planting site carefully. A rule of thumb for growing Clematis- they like their heads in the sun and their feet in the shade. The roots like to be cool, mulching is very beneficial. When it comes to pruning, Clematis varieties fall into three groups. Each group has specific pruning requirements to promote prolific flowering. Be sure to check out the video below for more information!
