Clematis ‘Stand by Me’

Clematis ‘Stand by Me’ is a compact, non-vining clematis boasting a profusion of nodding, bell-shaped, rich purple-blue flowers from late spring through early summer, with some rebloom possible in mid-summer. The blossoms are followed by very ornamental, fluffy, creamy seedheads, which remain on the plant, adding further interest. Stand by Me clematis has a unique shrubby habit and displays a handsome foliage of rounded deep green leaves that have a bronze cast to their undersides. Although this reblooming clematis is not a climber, it benefits from the support of a neighboring shrub or a low cage to help it maintain an upright stance. It dies to the ground in the fall and emerges again in spring.

• Grows up to 34-38 in. long (85-95 cm) and 24-36 in. wide (60-90 cm).
• 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. Tolerant to a wide range of soil types, including rocky and sandy soils, as long as the soil is evenly moist and well-drained.
• This Clematis should die to the ground in the fall. If any old stems or portions of stems remain standing in early spring, cut them back to just above a pair of healthy buds.
• 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.