Clematis ‘Frances Rivis’ (Atragene Group)

One of the first clematis to bloom in the spring, Clematis ‘Francis Rivis’ is a deciduous climber with masses of small, nodding, bell-shaped, purple-blue flowers adorned with prominent cream staminodes and stamens. Slightly twisted, the 4 tapering sepals, 2 in. long (5 cm), unfurl to gradually rise from bell to flat, revealing the white inner skirt. Blooming from mid to late spring and occasionally in late summer, the flowers contrast attractively with the narrow, serrated leaves. They are followed by very ornamental, fluffy, silvery seedheads, which remain on the plant, adding further interest. A robust and reliable spring flowering clematis, it copes well in exposed positions and looks ravishing, cascading over a pergola, wall, or garden fence. Lovely when sprawling through large shrubs such as rhododendrons or decorating evergreen hedges.

• 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.
• Hardy, this clematis can quickly grow up to 6-8 ft. long (180-240 cm).
• This Clematis belongs to the first group of Clematis – a group including Early-flowering clematis that flower on shoots produced in the previous summer: No regular pruning is required. Just clean them up after flowering.
• Native to Asia
• 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 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.