To see a clematis in full bloom is to understand why it is called the queen of flowering vines. As climbers, Clematis are unsurpassed in their long flowering presence, their rich diversity of flower shapes, and their wide array of colors and 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, they include more than 300 species and hundreds of hybrids. They create year after year a ravishing colorful show in the garden whether solely trained on walls, arbors, or trellises, or grown in association with other climbers. With few demands on the gardener, clematis will reward you with a profusion of gorgeous blossoms. Clematis are divided into 3 groups based on bloom times, flowering habits, and pruning requirements.

But which clematis will you choose?

Here is a list of clematis cultivars and varieties that will reward gardeners in the Coastal South region with exceptional floral displays, provided you respect their cultural conditions and site placement:

• Ideally, Clematis prefer having their 'heads in the sun and their feet in the shade'. Keep the roots cool and shaded by other plants or add a layer of pebbles or flat stones at the base.
• Best floral performance and disease resistance is usually seen in south-facing positions.

As defined by the National Gardening Association, the Coastal and Tropical South region follows its namesake bodies of water and extends inland as far as the sea's influence moderates the climate. The Gulf Coast bends upward from Brownsville and Laredo Texas, east across southern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to the Florida panhandle and northern Florida. The Lower Atlantic Coast draws a narrower swath along coastal Georgia and South Carolina to the North Carolina border. The tropical areas include Central and Southern Florida and the Florida Keys.