Clematis heracleifolia (Herbaceous Group)

Elegant and sweetly scented, Clematis heracleifolia is a deciduous sub-shrub with slightly downy stems and trifoliate leaves. This non-vining clematis bears a profusion of nodding, bell-shaped flowers for weeks in mid-summer to early fall. Borne in short, axillary clusters, the blossoms can vary from pale blue to blue-mauve. They are followed by ornamental, silky seedheads, which gleam in the sun and remain on the plant. This herbaceous clematis forms an attractive scrambling bush and sends up self-supporting stems. It is excellent in a patio container and very suitable in perennial borders for mass planting and combined with other plants.

• Grows up to 3 ft. tall (90 cm) and 2-3 ft. wide.
• Thrives in moist, well-drained soils in full sun. 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.
• Keep an eye out for aphids, caterpillars, earwigs or clematis slime flux.
• Cut down to the ground level in the fall or just before growth starts in spring.
• Propagate by division in spring.
• Clematis heracleifolia is native to central and northern China.
• 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.