Marilyn Glenn's informative presentation on Gardening With Clematis.

1. Gardening with Clematis
Lessons Learned
Presented by Marilyn Glenn

2. What usually drives our first
choice of a clematis to plant?
 Color Preference
 Memories

4. Bloom Time – a primary consideration
 Winter
“clematis armandii”
Evergreen – no pruning; prune after
bloom as needed to manage size
 Autumn
“clematis paniculata”

6. Bloom Time – a primary consideration
 Spring
“Early small-flowered”
- Good for Beginners *
- Alpinas, Macropetalas,
Montanas
- No pruning required

9. Bloom Time – a primary consideration
 Spring
“Early large-flowered”
- most popular & most challenging to establish
- most prone to „wilt‟
- most challenging to prune – bloom on year old
wood, prune after bloom as needed;
unsightly foliage in winter
- the most suitable for containers; particularly
the doubles *

18. Bloom Time – a primary consideration
 Summer
“Late small-flowered”
- Good for Beginners *
- Integrifolias, Texensis, Viticellas & Others
- easiest to grow
- least susceptible to „wilt‟
- extended bloom time (i.e. up to 2 months
and even into fall)
- provide support structure, other plants to
scramble onto and lots of room
- prune hard in late fall or early spring

19. Summer - “Late small-flowered”
 Integrifolias
- Non-climbing
- Least well known
- Can be divided as a perennial
- Do not take up a lot of space

26. Summer - “Late small-flowered”
 Texensis
- Nodding or upstanding tulip shaped
flowers
- Derive from a wild species native to
Texas
- Characteristic red color in most cultivars
- Grows vigorously - can be a “space hog”

28. Summer - “Late small-flowered”
 Viticellas
- Produce an abundance of flowers on a
substantial plant
- Excellent over arbors, arches and through
climbing roses
- Great diversity of colors in cultivars
- Prune hard in winter, no unsightly foliage
- Not suitable for containers

35. Bloom Time – a primary consideration
 Summer
“Late large-flowered”
- Good for Beginners *
- prune hard in late fall or early spring
- can sometimes suffer from mildew
“New patio clematis”
- Ray Evison is the hybridizer
- good in containers

43. 1st Most Important Lesson to Learn
 “The First Pruning”
- Is when you bring the new clematis home
- Cut to the lowest pair of leaf buds on each
stem
- If bloom buds are formed, prune as soon
after bloom as possible
- You are forcing growth into the roots and
promoting new stems to develop

45. 2nd Most Important Lesson to Learn
 “Keep your clematis roots cool”
- Provide lot‟s of water (especially in July &
August)
- Shade the roots with companion plants
(i.e. roses, shrubs and perennials)
- cover with mulch or even flat stones to
keep water evaporation down

46. Common Mistakes to Avoid with Clematis
 Avoid planting two different pruning types
together (i.e. Duchess of Edinburgh with
Duchess of Albany)
 Never plant two clematis plants in the same
hole (one will survive at the expense of the
other)
 Avoid planting any clematis at the base of a
tree
- a “water hog” tree will kill the clematis
- a “space hog” clematis could kill the tree

47. Common Mistakes to Avoid with Clematis
 Make sure you are able to provide water with
ease
 When „wilt‟ strikes
- immediately cut the stems back to the
lowest set of unaffected buds
- try moving the clematis to a new location
- act on the “3 strikes and your out” rule

48. Questions about Growing Clematis