Clematis

Variety: Niobe

Common Name: clematis

Type: Vine

Family: Ranunculaceae

Zone: 4 to 9

Height: 8.00 to 12.00 feet

Spread: 6.00 to 10.00 feet

Bloom Time: June to September

Bloom Description: Red

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Low

Flower: Showy

Tolerate: Deer, Black Walnut

About

Profuse, 6" across, dark ruby flowers with golden stamens cover this vine in summer. Flowers are followed by fluffy seed clusters. Flowers may be cut and floated in bowls.

No serious problems. Some susceptibility to wilt. Important to supply adequate nutrients and water to support new growth. This vine needs a support structure (natural or manufactured) on which to grow.

This vine can be trained to climb a wall, trellis, fence, arbor, porch or lamppost. May also be planted to sprawl over and through large shrubs. Provides excellent, long-lasting, deep ruby, summer color.

Growing

Easily grown in fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Most clematis prefer full sun, but this cultivar tolerates part shade. Roots should be shaded, however, and kept moist in summer and early fall. Bloom is primarily from the current year's stems, therefore cutting back stems hard in late winter to early spring before new growth appears is advisable.

Propagation

From herbaceous stem cuttings

From softwood cuttings

From semi-hardwood cuttings

By simple layering

By air layering

By tip layering

Observation

02-05-2016:  I’ve had this plant for several years.  I transplanted it last year to a new location where it receives good root shade and climbing opportunities.  It did much better last year in its new location.  In previous years, it only flowered by cutting it back to the ground in late autumn and grew new stems profusely.  I’d like to be able to train it to climb much more than just one year’s worth of growth, so I didn’t cut it back last autumn.  Will be curious to see if it grows new branches from old growth.  Have not had success in propagation… will try the tip layer propagation method this year.