Growing Clematis & Our 2023 Varieties

If you’re interested in giving your garden a vertical accent, and enjoy growing flowers that hummingbirds love too, then the clematis is for you!

Clematis is a vining plant that offers a unique variety of flower colors and forms. The variety also extends to time of bloom with some blooming as early as February and others blooming in summer, but most bloom in mid- to late spring.

We are fully stocked with clematis plants right now, so it’s a great time to see what’s in store!

Pruning Types

With the variety of bloom times and growth habits, clematis have been categorized into pruning types. Here’s the need-to-know:

Type 1 – Prune Where Necessary Immediately After Flowering

Bloom the earliest in spring. It flowers on old wood of the previous season; other than trimming off obvious dieback in spring, it should only be pruned where necessary immediately after flowering.

Type 2 – Trim Back to First Buds in Late Winter-Early Spring

This type will generally start flowering in late spring. It will bloom primarily on old wood of the previous season, with a second flush later in summer. Dead and weak vines should be removed in late winter. When you see buds begin to swell lightly, then trim remaining vines back to the first buds that are seen to remove dead stems. Cut just above the fat buds.

Type 3 – Prune in Spring

Each spring this type should be pruned back to within a few inches of the ground, as it flowers on new wood of the season.

Growing Tips

Plant in a full sun location.
Plant near a fence, or install a trellis or other support structure for the vine to group up on.
Protect the roots from getting too hot by underplanting with a low-growing plant. Underplanting will also disguise the leggy base of the plant.
Grows best in average to evenly moist soil conditions, but does not tolerate standing water.
Apply a layer of mulch in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and insulate in cold and exposed locations.

Our Spring 2023 Clematis Selection

Almost all clematis plants will only grow to around 10 feet tall, unless noted otherwise.

Most clematis plants are also deciduous (losing their leaves in winter), however there are a couple varieties that are evergreen such as ‘Snowdrift’, ‘Apple Blossom’, and ‘Early Sensation’. The evergreen varieties are primarily available at our garden center in late winter as they are known for their prolific and fragrant blooms in early spring.

Here are the 2023 varieties in stock, (as of when this blog is being written) and sorted by bloom color:

White Flowering Varieties

Snowdrift – Grows to 20 ft. tall. Single white star-shaped flower; early to mid-spring bloom. Type 1.
Early Sensation – Large white with yellow-green center; mid-spring bloom. Type 1.
Miss Bateman – Pure white flowers with distinctive chocolate purple centers; early summer bloom. Type 1

Pink Varieties

Dr. Ruppel – Pink with fuchsia overtones and yellow anthers; early summer bloom. Type 2.
Vancouver Mystic Gem – Rose pink with white overtones and burgundy anthers; late spring bloom. Type 1
Rubens – Grows to 20 ft. tall. Light shell-pink flowers; late spring bloom. Type 1.
Pink Perfection – Fragrant pink to white flower with yellow eyes; mid-spring bloom. Type 1.
Minuet – Grows to 12 ft tall. Deep pink edges around creamy white centers; summer bloom. Type 3.
Vancouver Cotton Candy – White flowers with raspberry pink stripes and yellow anthers; late spring bloom. Type 1.
Fragrant Spring – Grows up to 30 ft. tall. Fragrant rose pink flowers with buttery yellow eyes; mid-spring bloom. Type 1.
Willy – Dainty nodding bell-shaped creamy white flowers with buttery yellow eyes and hot pink center flares; mid-spring bloom. Type 2.

Lavender-Purple Varieties

Nelly Moser – Lavender with hot pink stripes and dark red eyes; early summer bloom. Type 1.
Ramona – Large lavender purple with creamy white eyes and purple anthers; mid-summer bloom. Type 1.
Vancouver Sea Breeze – Lavender with wavy edge maturing to bluer tones; late spring bloom. Type 2.
Venosa Violacea – Deep purple flowers with white stripes; summer bloom. Type 3.
The First Lady – Extra large silvery lavender flower with blue overtones; late spring bloom. Type 2.
Tie Dye – Grows up to 15 ft. tall. Violet-blue flowers marbled with white; early summer bloom. Type 3.
Vancouver Deborah Dahl – Deep lavender with intense red stamens in the center; late spring bloom. Type 2.
Vyvyan Pennell – Very large double flowers of purple-mauve and rosy-lavender with wavy edges with creamy white; late spring bloom. Type 2.
Sweet Summer Love – Lightly-scented plum purple flowers with creamy white eyes; early summer bloom. Type 3.

Red Varieties

Niobe – Deep ruby-red with yellow anthers; early summer bloom. Type 2.
Rouge Cardinal – Velvet-crimson with white eyes; mid-summer bloom. Type 3.
Madame Julia Correvan – Red flower with yellow anthers; mid-summer bloom. Type 3.
Sunset – Fuchsia with red overtones and yellow anthers; early summer bloom. Type 2.
Westerplatte – Crimson with white eyes and creamy white anthers; late spring bloom. Type 2.

Blue Varieties

Jackmanii – Rich royal blue with white anthers; mid-summer bloom. Type 3.
Pamela Jackman Alpine – Purple-blue nodding bell-shaped flowers; late spring bloom. Type 1.
Perle d’Azur – Spectacular blue flowers with creamy white anthers; late spring bloom. Type 3.
Blue Angel – Sky-blue with white overtones and yellow anthers; mid-summer bloom. Type 3.
Blue Bird – Small nodding powder blue star-shaped flowers with creamy white centers; mid-spring bloom. Type 1.
The President – Huge royal blue flowers with deep purple eyes; early summer bloom. Type 1.

Yellow Varieties

My Angel – Dainty nodding bell-shaped flowers in shades of yellow with red reverse; unique silver seed plumes in winter; mid-summer bloom. Type 3.

Shop Our Vines Online

You can browse our live inventory of vining plants online, and even place an order for store pick-up or local delivery! See what we have in stock now, or give us a call at 541-929-3524 to ask about availability.

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