Clematis Vine: How To Plant, Prune and Care for Clematis (Leather Flower) Types

Image Credit: Angie Oliver (independentangie)²²

How To Identify Clematis Vine Flower (The Leather Flower): Clematis Flower

There are over 300 known species of Clematis plants and hundreds of cultivars. Some of them are evergreens, or deciduous, bloom in the spring or even in the fall.

The colors range from white, red, pink, purple, yellow, and even blue. And some are a combination of two colors.

The typical size of the flower is between 4-7 inches in diameter, but they can also be smaller and found growing on one of the many climbing Clematis Vine varieties or on one of the types that prefers to spread itself out on the ground.

With the Clematis plant, the differences seem endless even though every iteration is a part of the same buttercup family.

What a majority of them have in common, though, is the texture of the petals.

Rather than being silky-soft, they feel like leather toughened by the sun and wizened by the weather, only a little softer and spongier.

If you ever want to know if the climbing vine you’ve stumbled across is a Clematis, just gently rub a petal between your finger and thumb and you’ll instantly recognize that leathery texture.

The Clematis Climbing Vine (Clematis Perennial)

A perennial plant is one that doesn’t say die at the end of the season and the Clematis plant, across all its variations, definitely identifies as a perennial.¹

That basically means that at the end of the season, when the promise of colder nights and chillier days are being felt by the inevitable drop in degrees, annuals give a last gasp and die off, while perennials take a deep breath and emerge again for another couple of years after that.

During the off-season, the plants may lose some of their foliage, but the roots will remain alive, allowing the plant to reseed itself in the spring.

Some of the new hybrids have been engineered to survive even longer, which brings us to the next question: why do vine plants climb?

It’s a survival method.

In order to survive in the jungle, vines have evolved to spread as far as needed and to climb as high as possible to seek out the sun and hunt down nutrients and a reliable water supply.

There are many species of the Clematis Vine that won’t mature, or blossom if they grow horizontally along the ground or are towered over by bigger trees with even bigger sun-blocking canopies.

Their instinct to find direct instead of badly diffused sunlight will see them wrap a vine around the trunk of a tree, or a low-hanging branch and haul their as-yet unopened buds and sun-deprived leaves upwards one inch at a time.

For some vines the journey is agonizingly slow, crawling just 2 feet over an entire year. The more vigorous strains are a lot more active and impressive, rusting past any obstacles by growing 20 feet in one year.

Once they have achieved their goal where the sun exposure is sufficient, they will mature, flower, and just hang out.

When growing one of these active climbers in your garden, a good trellis will spare your tree the burden of supporting this hanger-on.

Best Trellis for Clematis: When Do Clematis Bloom?

Believe it or not, one of the reasons why vines are able to climb in the first place is their lack of a trunk. Thick or thin, short or tall, it costs a plant a certain amount of energy expenditure and nutrient absorption to maintain and grow a central column like a trunk.

Vines do not have this restriction and can focus all the energy they absorb from the soil to allow them to twist and twine themselves upwards and settle in place.

(Image: Dr Carl Russell¹⁴)

Another reason why they grow as high as they can is self-preservation.

Herbivores eat leaves and flowers and by climbing higher, vines are increasing their chances of not being wholly consumed.

For gardeners, the advantage of having climbing vines is that they are decorative and can be trained to grow in whatever direction desired as long as they have the correct support structure.²

A trellis has to satisfy certain conditions before it can be erected in your garden area for a few simple reasons, one of which is that you don’t want it to collapse under the weight of your vines.

So consider these factors before choosing your trellis:

Weight: Is the Trellis Going To Be Supporting Just One Vine or Several? What Is the Trellis Made Of?

Some free-standing trellis may seem sturdy enough at the outset when only a few vines are creeping over it, but as they mature and get heavier their weight has to be considered to avoid a cave-in.

The strongest shapes and materials for trellises are arches and A-frames. A sturdy wooden trellis would also work as long as it is adequately weatherproofed, or a metal one could be used.

Always make sure you have secured the trellis properly to a wall, or another fence, or staked solidly into the ground so it will not tilt or pull away when the weight of the vines increases over time.

Size: Are the Vines Going To Outgrow the Trellis and Hang Around It Like an Oversized Suit?

Clematis Vines are generally planted for their decorative value and having them looking ungainly and in contrast to the rest of the garden can be disheartening.

To avoid this happening, plan beforehand.

The intended space needs to be measured accurately and then an extra 2 inches or so added on if possible to both ends. Fortunately, trellis’ are very flexible in their design and some of them can seamlessly have extensions added on at a later date if more growing room is needed.

Positioning: What Is the Main Purpose of Having Climbing Vines?

Apart from being able to elevate the aesthetics of an entire landscape, as a dividing structure on a property line, they are hard to beat.

The flexibility of a trellis means that more than one can be used to follow a meandering borderline and be cheaper and much more attractive than a wall or a fence.

The design, height, and even the thickness of the privacy screen will be in your hands and can be molded over a period of time until it’s just precisely how you want it to be.

(Image: Laura Seaman¹⁵)

Lattice screens are popular choices for fashioning vine screening barriers for privacy.³

They enable the gardener to design and mold the vines as they would like and actually create a beautiful floral display that can become a feature in the landscape rather than just a blank, green wall.

Clematis Vine Care on a Trellis: What Is the Climate Like Where You Live? Does It Experience a Lot of Rain or Very Hot Days?

The type of climate and your choice of trellis material can impact your plants and the amount of work you’ll have to do to keep your trellis looking good and your plant staying healthy.

Metal frames are excellent for durability, but can scorch or cause freezer burns if they become too hot or too cold, whereas wooden ones will require more maintenance in the form of waterproofing.

Positioning the structure in a semi-shaded or protected area away from wind or rain can solve either of these potential problems or, of course, a plastic trellis that is strong enough will be an excellent alternative.

Ornamentals

Trellis obelisks, arches, or cones, can be erected in your garden to create quite a few features.

With the ability to be standalone structures, your Clematis Vines can be placed center stage in the middle of your garden and not just located off to one side and used as a backdrop.

They come in a wide range of sizes and a vast array of designs and with them, your climbing vine will be a decorative central feature rather than a supporting character.

Growing a Clematis Vine From a Seed (How To Plant Clematis Vine Seeds)

The seeds of the Clematis Vine are known as achenes and are found in fluffy pods. The outward appearance of the seeds will differ across various types and the stage of maturity, most of them will come with a long feathery tail that aids in dispersal, and some types that come without.

It is a sign of viability in most cases so those without a tail may not be worth sowing, but confirm this with the particular cultivar. When purchased from a nursery or garden center, the seeds are sold tailless but that won’t alter their viability if the tails were removed but received some duds is often unavoidable.

Gathering the seeds yourself as the pods open is a fun way to collect them and whether they are sowed with or without the tail won’t make a difference.

A germination period where the seeds will need to be stored in a cool, dark place will be necessary and this can take 6 months to 3 years.

(Image: peganum¹⁶)

Stratification is a technique where this timeframe can be accelerated. It involves placing the seeds in a sealed plastic bag filled with vermiculite and storing it in the fridge for about a month.

The next stage is to gather some small cell pots together and fill them with a starter mix for seeds. Use your finger to make a hole in the center that isn’t too deep, place the seed inside, and cover it with the soil.

How To Grow Clematis (When To Plant Clematis Vine for the Best Yield)

When growing a Clematis Vine indoors, it is prudent to remember that the plant has a long taproot,⁴ so will need a long pot to be transplanted into, and also that it is going to need heat.

A heat mat is a useful piece of kit as is a grow lamp which will provide both the 70°F temperature needed and the minimum of 4-6 hours of light exposure on a daily basis. The combination of proper watering to maintain moisture in the soil with the right amount of heat and light will hasten germination.

Within a few weeks or so the seeds will have sprouted and shortly after will start to break through the surface of the soil. Wait until the first set of true leaves emerge before transplanting them to a larger pot to continue their growing journey indoors.

The second set of true leaves and when the plant is about 3-4 inches tall is an indication that it can now be planted outside.

When To Plant Clematis and Planting Tips for Clematis Vine

Transplanting a Clematis Vine from a container can be a traumatic experience for the plant and care has to be taken to prevent root shock or undue stress. Early spring is a good time for this as the transition into intense sunshine will be avoided, or in the fall so the roots can acclimatize before the wintry cold months set in.

1. Choose a location that will get 6 hours of sun a day, but will grant a fair amount of shade for your roots.
2. Dig the hole large enough to accommodate the entire root ball twice over with an additional 2-4 inches left just below the surface.
3. Mix the unearthed soil with some organic material like sphagnum peat moss, manure, or leaf mold and place a layer of it in the bottom of the hole. Doing this will make it easier for the roots to embed into their new habitat.
4. Place the root ball in the soil and cover it with your soil mixture, tamping down as you go to remove any air pockets.
5. Maintain a steady water supply and keep slugs away from feasting on the fresh shoots.

How Long It Takes To Grow Clematis Vine and the Watering Needs for Clematis Vine Plants

It takes Clematis some time to get established after being planted in a new location from a container in your garden,⁵ and it can take between 2 to 3 years for the flowers to bloom to a consistent size.

(Image: F. D. Richards¹⁷)

Do not allow the soil to dry out, especially during the first season as the plant is still developing. In drier conditions, water frequently to maintain moisture in the soil and if there is low rainfall where you live, every week make sure that about 3 cm of water is applied.

To retain that level of moisture until the next watering session, spread a layer of mulch around the plant which will have the added benefit of keeping the roots cool.

Prune and Care for Clematis Perennial Vines (When To Prune Clematis Vine)

Enticing a vine to grow in the direction and manner desirable takes patience and timing, and a little manipulation.

Use twine, tape, or even specific plant clips to loosely secure the vine to its support structure whether that is a small pole, a stake, or directly onto a trellis. If it is harshly zip-tied in place, it can cause the plant to become injured as it climbs and grows.

At first, you may have to assist the vine in climbing higher by repositioning parts of the vine around the trellis or stake.

This will school the vine in the direction in which you want it to grow and once it gets the idea, and matures, it will wrap itself around the trellis and haul itself higher, wrapping its twines tighter as it ascends.

At the end of the first season and when blooming has ended, be prepared to cut back a lot of dead growth and dead wood. Doing so reinvigorates the plant to grow healthier for the next season.

After that, there are 3 different times for pruning depending on when the flowers have bloomed.

• After the springtime bloom has come to an end, lightly prune back the dead wood.
• If flowers have bloomed already on dead stems, cut the vine off about 6 inches away from the next bud. This will help the next round of blooms.
• When the blooms die back in winter, the following March an aggressive prune should take the stems back to 12 inches above ground level. Then ensuing new growth will be stronger and healthier and this will help to prolong the life of your perennial plant to way beyond 3 years if this regime is adhered to year after year.

Both young and well-established vining Clematis will benefit from having all of its new shoots trimmed in order to stimulate new growth. This strategic pruning will revitalize the blossoms all along the stems of your plant and keep it young and vibrant.⁶

Also, by planting differing types of Clematis species around your landscape that bloom at different times of the year you can extend the amount of time that flowers are blooming in your garden.

Some will bloom earlier and die back sooner, while others will bloom later and still be looking good when the other has already shut up shop for the winter.

Under this method, your garden will appear to have flowers on display for much longer than your neighbor who only has one species planted.

Types of Clematis Vine Flowers

Of the numerous types of Clematis Vines, there is a range of flowers that are in the same color spectrum but have vastly different shapes. Blue flowers, for example, have so many shades that there is something to suit every garden format.

And as for the pink flowers or the purple flowers, the choices can be overwhelming, but in a nice way.

Let’s have a look at 6 of the color variants and a few different types to give you an idea of the varieties available to you.

How To Care for Clematis in Winter and How To Prune Clematis Vine (Clematis Care)

Cold hardiness is an important trait for any plant residing in parts of the United States that experience cold winters,⁷ not Alaska cold, but cold nevertheless.

Certain cultivars of the Clematis Vine can withstand the plunging temperatures in Zone 2, but for those that are a touch more cold-sensitive, a plan of action needs to be in place to protect them through the winter.

(Image: congerdesign¹⁸)

If you can keep your vines safe from the harsh winter weather, they will continue to produce beautiful blooms for longer than you would think possible.

• Start getting your garden ready for winter by cutting off any dead flowers with some clean, sharp pruners, and getting rid of any dead or dying vines. Clear debris from around the base to prevent accidentally building a nice comfy living area where pests and harmful bacteria may decide to hibernate underground for the winter.
• Spreading a thick layer of mulch is an excellent form of protection from the cold as it insulates the roots against sudden temperature drops.
• A second layer of mulch of about 4-6 inches comprised of rotting manure, old grass clippings, and compost, should be applied as another layer of insulation after the ground has actually become frozen.
• Covering evergreens with burlap, a frost blanket, or even bubble wrap may be a good idea to keep them nice and snug if your area experiences periodic cold spells.
• If your winters are so severe that you fear for the safety of your Clematis Vine, bring it inside. Either leave the roots containerized all year round, or transplant the vine into a larger pot and winter it indoors.
• When the weather starts to warm up and the soil thaws, you can take off the wrappings and gradually remove the mulch by layers, leaving some as a precaution just in case the temperature suddenly plummets past zero.
• When the risk of another cold snap has disappeared, you can remove the remainder of the mulch.

What Are 5 Common Pests of the Clematis Vine?

Plant pests are pests because they have the ability to ruin what has taken time and money to nurture into life. Their apparent destructive nature is just their way of surviving and procreating safely in their new habitats, which just happens to be your favorite plant or tree.

Clematis Vine Leaves: Aphids

They are a common pest in gardens, their insatiable appetite for feeding on plant sap is more a cosmetic problem than a life-threatening one. These black or green tiny aphids form colonies in the crevices of leaves or on the undersides of stems,⁸ their actions result in black mold, distorted leaves, and poor plant development if the infestation gets out of hand.

Treatment

A strong blast from the hose will knock them off and wash them away. Biological control methods include horticultural oils, and insecticidal soap if they are still determined to hang around.

They can also be kept under control if you actively attract predatory insects to your garden, such as lacewings and ladybugs who’ll gladly hunt them down.

Caterpillars

Clematis Vines provide a food source for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species. Whenever possible, caterpillars should be removed by hand to prevent further damage.

(Image: Chesna¹⁹)

Caterpillar numbers can be reduced with the help of natural predators like birds, which can be attracted to your garden.

Treatment: Natural Pest Control for Clematis Vine

Whenever possible, caterpillars should be removed by hand to prevent further damage. But a simple method to eliminate them is with the help of certain types of birds that will prey on the slow-moving leaf nibblers.

Having plants that attract Hummingbirds in the area will solve your infestation problem and lure in attractive species.

Leaf Miners

No less annoying because of their age, the larvae of leaf miners waste no time after emerging into the world to eat gaping holes in the leaves of Clematis. They feed on the actual tissue of the leaves, twisted trails that look like mazes evidence of where they have been.

Treatment

As they are nestled within the leaf, they are not easy to eliminate with insecticides, horticultural oils,⁹ or other biological control methods. Placing other plants nearby will have limited success in drawing them away.

There are certain targeted insecticides formulated for use against them, but for them to work the insects have to consume the product as contact alone is not sufficient to kill them off.

Spider Mites

Clematis flowers are often plagued by spider mites that sneakily hide on the underside of the leaves.

More a miniature spider than an insect, they feast on the chlorophyll of Clematis leaves in vast colonies. Just one of them won’t cause any significant damage, but hundreds of them can cause the leaves to yellow, dry out, and fall off.

White webbing and brown or yellow patches on the leaves and stems are signs that they are ruining your plant even while you are trying to keep it looking healthy.

Treatment

Use predatory mites or horticultural oils to get rid of spider mites, or try insecticidal soap or biological control methods. Even if spider mites are allowed to multiply unchecked, they usually won’t do much damage to Clematis Vines.

Rabbits

Surprisingly, rabbits are notorious for nibbling away at Clematis Vines as for them the plant is a low-growing source of year-round food. Stems, leaves, bark, new shoots, and flowers are all targets for them, and sometimes the damage can be quite annoying.

Treatment

Erect a wire fence around the base of the plant and eliminate any hiding places close by that the rabbits may use. Organic sprays may work and are worth trying although the rabbits may become accustomed to the smell over time.

Clematis Vine Disease, Prevention, How To Stop Clematis Vine Disease

Cross-breeding has allowed some cultivars of Clematis to be resistant to one of the most harmful infections, Clematis Wilt.¹⁰

It attacks the vines and the leaves which start displaying dark spots before going limp and dying off.

(Image: Scot Nelson²⁰)

The infection is caused, as many are, by either poor air circulation around the plant, overwatering, or bad watering practices. To prevent its appearance, consistent monitoring and plant maintenance will detect the problem early.

Refrain from pouring water directly over the leaves as this may cause mold to gather, and instigate the beginning of the end for your plant.

Treatment will involve pruning the infected sections and carefully disposing of them rather than leaving them lying around the base of the vine. As with most fungal infections, the sooner the problem is noticed the less of the vine will need to be excised.

But Clematis Wilt isn’t the only pathogen waiting to pounce. Here are a few others to watch out for.

Growing Zones for Clematis Vine: Where To Grow Companion Plants for Growing Clematis Vine

Hardiness zones 4-9 have the preferred climate for Clematis Vines. However, some have been engineered to withstand the drops in temperature in zones 2 and 3.

When considering which companion plants to have around your vines, bear that in mind as they may well bring benefits in one area of the country where the weather is mild all year round, but may not survive frosty nights or red hot days.

(Image: Etienne GONTIER²¹)

The types of plants that make good neighbors are the ones that can attract all types of butterflies and bees for pollination, can improve the quality of the soil, can deter pests from approaching your climbing vine by their pungent odor, and others that simply look good.

• Garlic
• Marigolds
• Roses
• Maiden grass such as Morning Light
• Basil
• Alliums
• Larkspur
• Lilacs
• Cilantro
• Sage

Clematis Vine Facts

They can look spectacular draped over the side of your house or running along a row of trellises on your property line when in full bloom, but did you know that eating the leaves or the flowers of the Clematis Vine can be toxic?

Unlike the Poison Ivy vine which only causes skin irritations, the Clematis Vine is more similar to the English Ivy plant and will upset your stomach but will prove more toxic to your cat or dog.

Identifying the type of vine growing near your well-planned landscape will keep your pets safe,¹² especially if it was there before you moved in. Species such as the Honeysuckle Vine poses a similar toxic risk to your pets, while the Kudzu Vine is more of a skin irritant as it has the same urushiol substance as poison ivy.

• Chinese herbal teas are made from the leaves for sore throats
• Because of their flexibility, the vines are often fashioned into making wreaths
• With proper care, a Clematis Vine can live as long as 50 years
• Don’t leave a vine hanging. If the tip is left dangling in mid-air and cannot attach to anything, it will stop growing and eventually will die off.
• Vines can only twine themselves around a support structure that has a maximum diameter of ¼ inch.
• Clematis ‘Pixie’ is one of the most unusual Clematis Vines with lime green flowers that have 6 small petals. They are very fragrant and grow best in hardiness zones 7-9.
• The one Clematis plant that is most sought after above all others is the Clematis ‘Jackmanii’, coveted because of its deep purple flowers that stay in bloom from the earliest part of summer to the end of the fall.
• The Clematis Vine with the most potent and heady scent is the Clematis x aromatica.

The fascinating and diverse Clematis vine is a great addition to any yard, landscape or home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Clematis Vine