Super Early, Super Easy *
Fast, Very Easy *
Don't Climb, Very Easy
Midsummer, Very Easy *
Species, Easy *
Early, Challenging *
Clematis Tools
Super Early and Super Easy!
These clematis are GREAT choices for beginners:
They start the clematis season with very early blooms, usually with the lilacs.
They have bell shaped, nodding flowers, followed by handsome seed heads.
All are very winter hardy - our customers in Alaska love them!
We've never (knock on wood!) had diseases on these varieties.
Because they are so cold tolerant, they may not thrive in hot climates.
No Pruning Needed!
Summer Bloomers, Fast Growers, Very Easy
These plants are great choices for beginners:
They grow quickly and often bloom well the second year.
They are all quite tall, usually between 8 and 12 feet.
They produce huge quantities of relatively small flowers.
Many are downward facing and at least a little bell shaped.
They are extremely disease resistant and winter hardy.
All of them belong to the Full Prune catagory.
Clematis that don't climb! Very Easy!
These clematis don't climb; they will sprawl unless provided with support.
Most grow 3 to 4 feet tall and many have the downward facing bell shaped flowers.
Some varieties are lightly fragrant, especially
when planted in full sun.
Lots of them are good choices for growing in containers.
They are virtually wilt free, although they are sometimes prone to powdery mildew.
Full Prune in late winter or early spring.
Summer Bloomers, Large Flowers, Very Easy
These clematis will flower starting in July and they will give you summer-long color.
These plants are winter hardy and disease resistant. The flowers are flat
and a little smaller than the early flowered type. They make up for the
difference in size by making lots of blooms!
Plants in this group are Full Prune.
Miscellaneous Clematis! - Easy
This group includes clematis that just don't fit elsewhere!
Some are species clematis - the "wild" forms of clematis as they are found in nature.
They appreciate plenty of sun and well drained soil.
Grow one or more of these rare beauties
and you'll really have a "Horse of a Different Color" in your garden!
Full Prune in late winter or early spring.
Early Bloomers, Challenging
These are the plants that most people think of when we say, "Clematis".
They bloom in late May or early June and have large, flat flowers.
Some varieties will repeat bloom in late summer.
These varieties are slow to mature, less robust than other types
and sometimes can be a pain in the neck. If you've never grown clematis,
we recommend you start with plants from another section.
Many authorities recommend treating these varteties as "moderate prune" clematis.
However, we respectfully disagree: Please see our Pruning Primer
for more information.
