Frequently Asked Questions About Clematis

Do you ship or mail order clematis?
Yes! After two years of research and experimentation, we are offering a number of our favorite varieties through our web site! For all the details, see our Internet Sales page.

How much sun do clematis need?
Most clematis grow and bloom well with a half day or more of sun.
However, there are some exceptions.
Pearl D'Azur and Ernest Markham need full sun all day to bloom well.
Texensis varieties also prefer all day sun.
Silver Moon bloom very well for us with only two hours of sun a day.
Snow Queen also does well with less than a half day of sun.

Which clematis bloom all summer?
The short answer: None.
The longer answer: Viticella clematis varieties start blooming here in late June or early July and will bloom until frost. These include:
Mme. Julia Correvon and Polish Spirit.
Prince Charles, sometimes classed as a viticella and sometimes as a large flowered hybrid, will bloom from mid summer until hard frost.
The Kivistik clematis start to bloom for us in June and, given plenty of water and feed, will bloom for many weeks.

It is May and my clematis isn't up. Should I replace it?
NO!! NO!! NO!! Ahem. Excuse us. That's, "No." Wait patiently. Clematis, expecially young plants, can often take a long time to show up in the spring. Clematis teach us patience!

What should I feed my clematis?
For feeding instructions for new clematis, see our Planting Instructions.
For second year and older clematis, we lightly scratch a cup of Rose Tone (an organic rose food by Espoma) into the surfaceof the soil around the clematis. In addition, we recommend spreading a couple of shovels of compost around the base of the plant. Make sure to stay away from the vines themselves! The best time to feed clematis is in early spring just as the vines begin to grow. However, if life gets in the way, it is OK to fertilize anytime until the plant starts to flower. Do NOT add fertilizer in the fall!

Do you have questions we haven't answered here?
E-mail us at hummingbird@megalink.net and we'll try to help!