A guide to growing Clematis vines, plants and flowers
A garden or a lawn looks complete only when a climbing plant is growing on its fence, and if that climber is clematis, what a picturesque scene it creates! There is such a varied collection of clematis vines to choose from, that by planting the right cultivar; one can enjoy its beauty for many years. With proper planting, care and pruning they become very easy to maintain. These strong climbing plants are available in extensive flower colour, form, bloom season and height. For instance ‘Barbara Jackman’ reaches a height of 8 feet and displays its purple-blue blooms throughout the summer. C.armandii bears small, white, vanilla scented flowers in spring. Therefore for each season there is a different variety to grow. Truly, the exotic colours and versatility of clematis makes it the ‘queen of climbers’.
There are more than 250 species and numerous garden cultivars of the genus clematis which belongs to Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family. The word ‘clematis’ is derived from the Greek ‘klema’ which means to climb.
The origin of Clematis vines, plants and flowers
Clematis belongs to the temperate zones of the northern hemisphere, chiefly Britain and cooler areas of USA, China, Korea, N. America, Europe, Portugal and New Zealand has vast number of species. Clematis was not popular until the middle of 19th centaury, when many were hybridized and improved. Plants from China and Japan were exported to Europe for breeding purposes. Hybrids with spectacular blooms, diverse features & disease resistance were developed, thus making clematis vines common in the gardens and terraces. Jackman’s clematis, Nelly Moser and The President are among the most favourite clematis vines today.
The genus clematis comprises of woody, semiwoody, herbaceous, a few evergreen plants and most can climb. Leaves can be simple to compound with 3-5 leaflets. They are frequently used in climbing by twining their petioles (leaf stalks) around any means of support. The true petals of flowers are absent, the sepals (4, 6 or 8) have petal like colour & beauty. Clematis flowers range from 2.5 cm across up to 15 cm (6 in) or more, with colours like white yellow, pink, violet, mauve, blue & red. Many have edges in contrasting shades. Many of the species type plants produce fragrant and small sized blooms whereas hybrid types produce larger blooms. There are 3 forms in which flowers may occur:
- Small white flowers in random clusters
- Bell shaped flowers
- Open or flat flowers
Clematis use:
Clematis is used as specimen climbing plants, in the landscape and as potted flowering plants. It is good for planting along wall, fence, trellis, tree or shrubs. It can cover up a bare wall or an unsightly view and can also be trained into topiaries. For instance, Clematis Montana is excellent for wall coverage; C.armandii provides evergreen foliage and fragrant bloom, if planted in shaded area of the garden.
Climate and soil required for Clematis vines, flowers and plants:
Clematis is temperate zone plants. They perform well between temperatures 18-26 oc. They require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to commence growth and flowering. A warm night temperature (18oc) encourages soft and rapid growth. Some varieties require shade to prevent flowers from fading early. Although plant’s stem and foliage need sunshine to grow, the roots prefer a cool and moist environment.
A well drained soil with rich organic matter is required for successful growth. Clay and sandy soil are not suitable for the vine growth. A pH close to neutral (7.0) is ideal; however some large flowering cultivars can tolerate pH from 5.5 upwards.