Clematis ‘Empress’ (Early Large-Flowered Clematis)

A lovely double clematis, ‘Empress’ produces particularly attractive blooms, 5 in. wide (12 cm), resembling dahlias. The flamboyant flowers count up to 8 broad, slightly recurved, pink outer sepals, adorned with a darker pink center stripe. They surround a pompom of small inner ones and spiky dark red stamens. Flowering comes in two waves: first in late spring or early summer, then in late summer and early fall. When the outer sepals fall away, the flowers still add interest with their central pompom left. The branches are clad with handsome, glossy, trifoliate leaves. This graceful clematis is perfect for meandering over fences, trellises, pergolas, or through free-standing shrubs. Also, ideal for growing in a container near the patio when the elegant beauty of its flowers can be admired.

• Easy to grow and cultivate, this clematis thrives in moist, well-drained soils, in full sun. Tolerates part shade, but needs full sun to produce the richest colors and to rebloom well. 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. Afternoon shade is appreciated in hot summer areas.
• Quickly grows up to 6-8 ft. long (180-240 cm).
• Deadhead after the first wave of blooms to promote new blooms.
• This Clematis belongs to the second group of Clematis – a group including Clematis which flower in early summer on short shoots developing from the last year’s growth. Some flower again in late summer on new growth. These Clematis vines should be pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth starts and after the first flush of flowers in early summer.
• Prune in late winter or early spring: Remove dead or weak stems before growth begins. Check individual stems from the top down until you reach a pair of healthy buds, and prune just above them, removing the spindly or damaged growth above. Avoid heavy pruning or flowers will be lost
• Then prune again after the first flush of flowers: To encourage a second flush of flowers later in the season prune back some stems by cutting to large buds or a strong side shoot immediately below the blooms. Top-heavy or overgrown plants can be gradually reduced over two to three seasons by pruning back harder after the first flush of flowers. They are unlikely to produce a second flush of flowers but should flower again the following year, in late spring or early summer
• Alternatively, leave clematis in this group unpruned, and then hard prune them to 30-90cm (1–3ft) from the base every three or four years in late winter (as for pruning group three). In the first year after renovation, they will only flower once.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.

As climbers, Clematis are unsurpassed in their long flowering presence, their rich diversity of flower shapes, their 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, 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 as well as 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.