Clematis ‘Elizabeth’ (Montana Group)

Sweetly scented, Clematis ‘Elizabeth’ is a very large deciduous climber with charming, single, pale pink flowers adorned with a satin sheen, 2-3 in. across (5-7 cm), from late spring to early summer. The blossoms are so profuse that they generally cover the foliage of ternate, mid-green leaves, and emerging bronze. Opening from pointed, mauve-pink buds, the flowers bear 4 broad petals, strong mauve-pink at first, then slightly fading in their center as they mature. Their delightful fragrance fills the air as you pass by. This vigorous and extremely floriferous vine is a long-time favorite, perfect for covering a wall, trellis, fence, or arbor. Plant it near an entrance or path where the lovely fragrance can be enjoyed.

• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for its noteworthy qualities.
• Thrives in moist, well-drained soils, in full sun or part shade. 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.
• This clematis is more resistant to clematis wilt and ignored by pests.
• Quickly grows up to 30-40 feet long (9-12 m) and spreads 6-10 ft. (2-3 m).
• This Clematis belongs to the first group of Clematis – a group including Early-flowering clematis which flower on shoots produced in the previous summer: No regular pruning is required. Just clean them up after flowering.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.

As climbers, Clematis are unsurpassed in their long flowering presence, the rich diversity of flower shapes, and a 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. They are divided into 3 groups which determine how they should be pruned. Regular pruning of Clematis is important as it promotes strong growth and flowering and a harmonious plant. If left unpruned, Clematis can turn into a mass of tangled stems with a bare base and flowers well above eye level.