But clematis are not without their frustrations, not the least of which is what to call them. Is it "Clemm-it-is" as the British say or "Clem-at-us" as the southern drawl would imply?
Clematis have a reputation for being temperamental beauties that many have tried but given up on. Most are English or French imports where they flourish in the cool, moist maritime climate of the region. But, they can be grown in the South without a great deal of difficulty, if you pay close attention to site selection and soil preparation.
Their range in bloom size and color is remarkable, but centered around shades of white, blue and pink, which are typical color ranges for members of the ranunculus family to which the plant belongs. Flowers may be single, with only four petals (really sepals), to many-times doubled. Most of the spring-blooming kinds have flowers approaching the size of a saucer while some of our native types have blooms the size of a quarter.
Like many plants with beautiful flowers, their necessary vegetative growth is not the most beautiful in the flowery kingdom. Plants grow as a tangle of thin-branched vines. Dead stems often accumulate in the tangle, giving the plant a less than tidy appearance. Clematis vines are new at the business of climbing, so they sprawl about the landscape, looking for something to support them. The stems weave and twine but most of the support for climbing comes from the leaf petioles that twist around anything in their path. Clematis are controlled growers, seldom growing more than 6 or 8 feet tall.
Clematis grow best in rich, well-drained limey soils with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. They can be grown from zones 4 through 8. These small vines can be used to adorn the mailbox, cover a chain length fence or trained up a porch railing or trellis. They are not rampant enough to use for covering a large arbor.
The recommended planting site for clematis vines is to have their "head in the sun and their feet in the shade." To bloom well they need six hours of sunlight a day, but avoid hot dry locations. In hotter regions, plant them where they get afternoon shade or at the base of a wall where their roots are kept cool while their top is allowed to run.
These beauties are sold as hybrids, always with a nice color tag showing the bloom. Unfortunately, you need to know a bit more about the plant if you're going to prune it effectively. Most clematis hybrids (the Florida group, Lanuginosa group and the Patens group) bloom on year-old vines in the spring, so they shouldn't be pruned until after they have flowered. Pruning can be severe, cutting the vines back as much as needed to control growth and remove any untidiness.
The Jackmanii group and the Viticella group are summer flowering, so they can be cut back in the spring and will flower in the summer. But truthfully, I don't see a lot of people pruning their clematis vines. And, unless you are a "neatnick" unable to tolerate a bit of unruliness, pruning doesn't seem critical for a good bloom display. Nipping here and there to keep the plant in bounds can be done at any season.
For more information about horticulture and to see other "Plant of the Week" columns or visit extension's Web site. You can always contact your county extension agent. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
