Clematis texensis (Texensis Group)

Native to Texas, Clematis texensis (Scarlet Clematis) is a small-flowered climber boasting masses of distinctive, deep red to orange-red, tulip-shaped flowers, 1-3 in. wide (2-7 cm). Blooming from mid-summer to early fall, each flower bears 4 delicately twisted tepals with creamy yellow or pink-red inner sides. Blooming profusely over a very long season, Scarlet Clematis has a handsome foliage of blue-green leaves divided into 3-5 heart-shaped leaflets. Vigorous and floriferous, Scarlet Clematis has been crossed with other clematis strains resulting in many attractive hybrids with tulip-shaped flowers.

• Grows up to 10-15 ft. long (300-450 cm) and 2-3 ft. 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.
• This Clematis belongs to the third group of Clematis – a group including Clematis which flower in late summer on growth made in that season. They should be pruned in late winter or early spring and require ‘hard pruning’: simply cut back the stems to a pair of strong buds about 1ft. (30 cm) above ground level before growth begins in early spring.
• 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.