Clematis – Montana Group

As climbers, Clematis are unsurpassed in their long flowering presence, the rich diversity of flower shapes, a wide array of colors, and their tolerances in terms of exposure and climate. It is no wonder they are so popular! From tree huggers to container varieties, there is a Clematis for every garden and flowers for almost every month of the year!

Members of the Ranunculaceae family, Clematis include more than 300 species and hundreds of hybrids. They are divided into 12 main groups, each with consistent flower size, blooming season, pruning, and garden use characteristics.

Clematis montana

Clematis montana, or Mountain Clematis, is native to Asia and the Himalayas. Healthy, sturdy, and easy to please, the Montana group of clematis includes the most vigorous deciduous climbers within the clematis family. Their flowers are not as large or flashy as those of the large-flowered Clematis varieties, but they are full of charm, fragrant, and so abundant! A plant can get covered with thousands of blooms, rewarding gardeners with a spectacular floral display.

• Habit and Size: Clematis montana displays a vigorous growth habit and can reach 20-40 feet (6-12 meters), making it suitable for covering walls, fences, trellises, and arches. It has a fast growth rate and can quickly cover a large area, making it an excellent choice for speedy coverage, but it may require pruning to keep it under control.
• Foliage: Its foliage is simple and attractive, composed of deep green leaves that offer a perfect backdrop for the soft hues of its blooms. Many cultivars derived from Clematis montana var. rubens feature lovely red-bronze foliage.
• Flowers: The flowers, often white, pink, or light rose, measuring around 2 inches (5 cm) across, are four-petaled and fragrant.  Delightfully vanilla-scented, their fragrance fills the air as you pass by.
• Blooming Season: The blooming season is typically from late spring to early summer, with some varieties offering sporadic later bloom.
• Hardiness: This clematis species is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9 but appreciates a cool root run, so it’s beneficial to plant it where the roots will be shaded, but the plant itself can climb into the sun.
• Uses: Clematis montana is commonly used as an ornamental plant due to its aesthetic appeal. It is a strong grower that happily throws its shoots in splendid flowering trails over arbors, trellises, pergolas, and other garden structures.
• Deer and Rabbit: Deer and rabbits usually avoid it.
• Toxicity: Can lead to severe discomfort if ingested or irritation upon contact with the skin. Toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.