Clematis integrifolia
clematis (group 3)
This climber is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Position: Full sun or partial shade
- Soil: Moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil
- Rate of growth: Fast
- Flowering period: July to September
- Hardiness: Fully hardy
Blossoming with elegance, Clematis integrifolia graces the garden with its charming, nodding mid-blue flowers with slightly twisted sepals encasing creamy-white anthers. This deciduous, clump-forming herbaceous beauty blooms prolifically, and with a slight scent, from midsummer to early autumn, followed by the emergence of feathery, silvery seedheads. Grow it in the border scrambling through roses and other shrubs, or as a mounding ‘semi-climber’ for obelisks in patio pots.
Clematis are happiest when their roots are kept cool and moist, so try to plant them where that the base of the plants will be lightly shaded by other, lower-growing species. Otherwise, use a clematis root protector, or top-dress the rootball (avoiding the immediate crown), with a generous layer of shingle or pebbles. This clematis is herbaceous and will die back during the spring - remove spent stems and foliage to the ground in February, and apply a thick layer of mulch to suppress weeds, feed the soil, and keep the root area moist and cool for the growing season ahead.
- Humans: Skin irritant; Pets: Harmful if eaten