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slideshow: name that flowering clematis vine!

by margaret
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I HAVE A LOT OF PLANTS (and a lot more that used to grow here somewhere live on in memory). I even know most of their names–except when it comes to the Clematis.  Why didn’t I label those? In the process of trying to put names to vines that are exploding all around me right now, I made a little slideshow for the record. Hey, if it’s on the internet, I can refer to it any time I forget who’s who again, right?

To get things straight, I needed help on varieties such as charming little Clematis crispa (above) from Dan Long at Brushwood Nursery (remember our recent Q&A together on vines and climbing roses?), and even at that I turned up one or two after I thought I’d got the whole list settled.

Not a large-flowered variety among them, it turns out, and more straight species (non-hybrids, just as nature made them) than I would have guessed—including several native American ones (the crispa, and another little one called Clematis viorna you’ll see in the slides). Now let’s see if I can get this (mostly) correct:

the clematis slideshow

CLICK THE FIRST THUMBNAIL to start the slides, then toggle between images with the arrows on your keyboard, or the ones beside each caption. Note: There is a list of links to more stories about Clematis below the slideshow.

It was this plant that reminded me of my lapse of Clematis memory. When it started blooming several weeks ago (still at it!) I was startled — as if I’d never seen it before, though it’s a giant vine in a big old winterberry holly. But what was it? Clematis chiisanensis ‘Lemon Bells.’
Look how reddish-black those stems are, and the reddish flush on the flower where it attaches, and how overstuffed each bell is. Delightful, and robust.
I like everything about Clematis: every little tendril looking for something to grab to scramble higher, every little unopened bud (especially of charming Clematis viorna, shown), every seedhead afterward however plain or fancy. (The birds seem to agree on that last score, by the way.)
The first one that does anything for me each spring is a non-vining type called Clematis recta purpurea ‘Lime Close.’ Look at what its foliage and stems look like when they emerge in April. Gorgeous!
Eventually it blooms in a froth of white, sort of like a shrubby sweet autumn clematis. My old plant is so big now it gets to about 7 feet tall, and needs a lot of support to hold all those blooms.
I like to grow various small-flowered clematis up and over shrubs — on winterberry hollies, roses, corylopsis, twig dogwoods, you name it. In this photo, though, I made a stupid mistake: It was a “non-vining” variety and though it tried to support itself it would have been happier scrambling among perennials.
This is the poor thing that is currently trying to compete with that rose. And it’s the one I still cannot name for certain: perhaps Clematis integrifolia, or durandii? I will move it to another spot when the weather cooperates.
A lot of the species (no-hybrid) types are the most charming of all, and especially Clematis viorna, seen here about to start blooming.
And voila, it peels back its parts to reveal the yellow interior. Clematis viorna, or leather-flower (for its thick blooms) is native from much of the East, starting in southern Pennsylvania, and making its way down to Alabama and out to Illinois and Missouri.
Clematis crispa, the swamp leather-flower, grows in the wild throughout the Southeast, west to Texas and up to Illinois.
It’s a real charmer in bloom…
…and then it has to win the prize for the best seedpods of all, which get even better…
…when dried. Crazy! It’s supposed to stay to about 6 feet tall, but my lusty plant is probably twice that. Oops.
I’ve had ‘Duchess of Albany,’ a old-fashioned hybrid of Clematis texensis, growing on one of my porch columns for more years than I can recall. Easy, prolific, with tulip-shaped flowers on vines to about 10 feet.
Clematis texensis, from which the Duchess is derived, is a Texas native…and like crispa and viorna, part of the bigger so-called North American viorna group of species.
Clematis ‘Roguchi’ (or ‘Rooguchi’) is extra-easy, with distinctive little purple flowers of thick substance on 8-foot vines. I have it in various shrubs here, and it blooms on and on.
A detail of this wonderful hybrid from Japan.
I’m pretty sure this is Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’ growing up and over a variegated twig dogwood in my front yard.
‘Royal Velours’ is new to me, with more rounded flowers and a more reddish-purple color. Lovely and velvety, and likewise great for scrambling over a woody neighbor.
Again, ‘Polish Spirit,’ but this time in a gold Hinoki cypress.
I went looking for this favorite, the bicolor called ‘Venosa Violacea,’ and it seems to have disappeared after many years together. On order: a new plant.
Look how distinctive its pinwheel flowers are. Its other name: ‘Violet Stargazer.’
And then there is Clematis tangutica, a Chinese species that despite its small flowers is far too ambitious to grow on top of a shrub or into a climbing rose. I wouldn’t be without this summer-into-fall charmer…
…and I am always delighted by its seedheads (almost as much as the birds here when they get to pick over all my dried-up Clematis in later fall and early winter, looking for seed).

other stories on vines

more clematis information on the web

DAN LONG OF Brushwood recommends Clematis on the Web
 as “the world’s most complete clematis reference for most species and
 hybrids.”  For fans of the native American Viorna Group specifically (including not just viorna but crispa and texensis and other charmers), try American Bells, he says
, from Carol Lim.

Categoriesslideshows vines
  1. Penny W says:

    Thank you for the slideshow! I am a big fan of Clematis and among the 5 Clematis in my yard, one of my favorites is “Princess Diana” It is also a tulip shaped variety. I wish I could find the Clematis Tangutica because that would be beautiful in my back yard! Thanks again!

    Reply
  2. Beth says:

    I noticed in some of the pictures that the number of petals on a flower range from 4-6, even on the same plant. Interesting, is this normal for clematis? Years ago my mom planted a clematis at the end of our porch, with a trellis above it which she hoped it would climb. Unfortunately the trellis was buffeted by the wind and the plant never could latch on. So the clematis stayed in a little clump at the bottom of the large empty trellis for several years. As a result I’ve (unfairly) written them off as difficult. It’s good to see your success stories; I may have to give them a try.

    Reply
  3. Deborah Banks says:

    I love your slide shows, but one frustrating feature for me is that only the first line of your description below the picture is visible. I’ve tried all the screen resolutions available on my laptop, with no improvement, and got rid of all the toolbars. Still I can’t see more than the first line. Any hints?

    Reply
  4. Donna Oglesby says:

    Margaret,

    You inspired me to use yesterday’s rainy day to search through my bag of plant tags and order receipts to identify the pictures I’ve taken of clematis that have established a foothold in my garden. Sadly, I seem to have planted a lot more over the years than bloom for me now. I do have some large flowered clematis, but I am loving the small ones like Betty Corning too.

    Reply
  5. Dan says:

    On petal count- Beth, the number can vary especially on complex hybrids. sometimes they want to be like Mama; other times Papa. By the way, it’s just a technicality but they’re actually called tepals. Just another one of those fun things taxonomists like to do to keep us on our toes! :)

    Reply
  6. Beth says:

    Thanks for that Dan! I like knowing those little details. Tepals… and I see they are on lilies and tulips as well!

    Reply
  7. Jill says:

    WOW Margaret – just awesome and inspiring – I am going to add to my 3 clematis I got from Dan this year just as soon as possible! Thank you.

    Reply
  8. Lisa-St. Marys ON says:

    I have the same problem as Deborah. I get rid of as many Google tool bars at the top of my screen as possible, and then I hide the bottom bar, but I still only get a few lines of text.

    Reply
  9. Janet says:

    One of my favorites is ‘Betty Corning’ It is a vitacelia. Blooms on new growth so I cut it down to about 12-14 inches on a winter day when I just ha ve to garden and it rewards me with wonderful pale lavender blue flowers in June and July.

    Reply
  10. Michael Dodge says:

    Great photos Margaret and lovely Clematis, some of which I’ve never seen before. My favorite Clematis is C. viticella ‘Betty Corning’ and Betty was as lovely too! It’s in bloom right now beside an oriental lily called ‘Robino’–lavender and dusky pink!

    Reply
  11. Donna says:

    I put in a clematis late and it went right to that petticoat looking frilly stage. I bought it from my garden center but was not able to put it into the ground for a few days. I’m not sure if it gave up the ghost or what. My other clematis vines have flowers but that’s because former owner of my house obviously had a green thumb. Do I take it out? Did I just miss the bloom time? Or is it prettily dead? As you can see by my adjectives, I’m a beginning gardener:) husband to let it alone, it’s getting adjusted. I think he just doesn’t want to have to dig it up.

    Reply
    1. margaret says:

      Hi, Donna. Don’t worry at all. The stress of transplant etc. especially at flowering time may have made it hurry through its paces, butkeep it well-watered (VERY important this year and next) and all should be good. Plants need awhile to settle in to new surroundings (like people!).

      Reply
  12. Donna says:

    Thanks, Margaret. Will be patient and send it positive thoughts! Maybe it will soon
    feel competitive with the other Clematis that are blazing away like purple pinwheels:)

    Reply
  13. erin bailey says:

    Hi Margaret,
    When you posted about your c. tangutica earlier this year, I looked online for it, but never found one with purple stamens (or are they the true flower?). Does the purple fade to brown? Or is this a selected strain?
    Also, Clematis integrifolia is supposed to have fragrance. Does Roguchi have a scent in your garden? Does the little unidentified blue bell have a scent?
    Thanks,
    Erin

    Reply
  14. erin bailey says:

    Hi Margaret,
    When you posted about your c. tangutica earlier this year, I looked online for it, but never found one with purple stamens (or are they the true flower?). Does the purple fade to brown? Or is this a selected strain?
    Also, Clematis integrifolia is supposed to have fragrance. Does Roguchi have a scent in your garden? Does the little unidentified blue bell have a scent?
    Thanks,
    Erin

    Oops, the unidentified one is fully open, but it is the one you thought might be integifolia.

    Reply
    1. margaret says:

      Hi, Erin. Try looking for ‘Bill McKenzie’ or ‘Golden Tiara’ on catalog and images searches and see if one of those tanguticas looks more to your taste. And yes, the purple sort of mellows — actually I can’t recall how it starts and ends, but it is variable. I don’t notice a scent on the others but will check!

      Reply
  15. Sandra says:

    Wonderful slide show, could almost be there! One of my own favourites is Clematis Rehderiana, it has the most wonderful little nodding yellow flowers similar to cowslips and a beautiful scent. Took a while to track it down but worth the search.

    Reply
  17. Marie S. says:

    Hi Margaret, You have lovely and healthy clematis…I too, have several clematiis but my leaves always turn brown and ugly …why…? too much fertilizer, Lime, love and care. I love to garden and always weeding, cultivating and deadheading my garden but when it comes to clematis I have problems with the leaves turning brown…so I usually cut it down to 12 inches because I don’t like seeing the brown leaves. What is the solution to caring for clematis? Thank you. I love your website and have followed you for many years….I think you wrote for Newsday and was afffiliated with Martha Stewart. Thanks for being here. Marie

    Reply
    1. margaret says:

      Hi, Marie. Do you mean they go brown in spring and summer, or ? Do you know the names of the ones you grow or when they bloom (what time and for about how long)? You can email me at awaytogarden at gmail dot com as well.

      Reply
  18. Sandra says:

    Margaret it is a must, I grew it scrambling over my garden shed in Southern Ireland so I reckon your climate would also be just right for it… A true delight

    Reply

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