Clematis is the queen of climbing flowers. Why wouldn't you choose it when growing climbing plants?

Clematis is known as the "queen of climbers," yet it isn't all that famous. Of course, many flower lovers don't know how to grow it, and then there's the problem of it being too hot in some environments, making it hard to keep alive. Let me teach you how to solve these problems below!

It's common to see a single clematis covered in flowers with hardly any leaves visible. The flowers also get bigger and bigger, with more varied colors, and you'll see many bicolor flowers, even double-flowered ones. However, the original single-color clematis is still very beautiful and remains popular.

Clematis originates from northern China and is also fairly common in the northeastern region of China, which is why there is "Northeast clematis."

Clematis is a climbing plant, suitable for growing on a trellis or a fence. Some clematis don't climb on their own, so you need to help secure them.

But the stems are very thin and weak, so handle them carefully. Because there are many flowers and the blooming period is long, it definitely won't disappoint you. Some people even plant two kinds of clematis that bloom at different times together, which extends the blooming period.

I. Daily Care Tips

1. Planting Location

Clematis is very easy to grow and can tolerate a little shade, but it needs enough light for good blooming. It's best to have half a day of sun daily, and don't be afraid to plant it facing east or northeast.

2. Soil Selection

Clematis likes neutral soil. In rainy areas, you can add lime once or twice a year (half a cup each time).

In alkaline soil areas, add some bone meal when planting, and use plenty of organic soil, including compost, animal manure, peat moss, etc.

3. Proper Shading

Clematis fears dry, hot weather. Although the stems and leaves need sunlight, the roots need to be kept cool, so you'll often see clematis planted at the feet of other plants, with the goal of shading the base.

It's most commonly planted together with roses. If there are no other plants nearby for shade, use plenty of mulch, piling mulch around the roots. You can use bark, pine needles, leaves, etc., to keep the roots cool.

4. The Importance of Watering

Although clematis is a perennial, you can't neglect watering.

In dry, hot weather you must water, also to keep the roots cool. Additionally, in early spring when new shoots appear, fertilize once or twice. (Below is a rarer double-flowered variety.)

II. Preventing and Treating Clematis Wilt

However, clematis occasionally gets wilt disease, suddenly wilting, with leaves and stems turning dry and white. This is caused by infection with a pathogen. With luck, only a few stems and leaves wilt, but with bad luck it spreads very quickly.

Once you find the disease, immediately cut off the diseased branches, cutting down close to the ground. This can save the plant. Soon new stems will grow from the ground.

To prevent it, it's best to use lime sulfur in early spring. Because it most easily occurs on stems near the roots, the prevention method is to plant part of the stem underground when planting, so that when infection occurs, the underground stems will still produce new stems, preventing the whole plant from dying.

(Except for tomatoes and clematis, no other plants can be planted this way. That is, you can't plant part of the stem underground.) In addition, the planting location should be clean, use fresh clean soil, and water regularly.

With good care, clematis can grow and bloom endlessly. It's a very worthwhile investment.

III. How to Prune Properly?

The thing that troubles clematis growers most is pruning, because different varieties of clematis require completely different pruning methods. So you must know which type your clematis is, and then you'll know how to prune it.

Type 1: Blooms in early spring

If your clematis blooms in early spring on old wood from the previous year, this type doesn't need pruning. Just after the flowers fade, within a month, cut off weak or dead branches and shape the plant to look nice. No heavy pruning needed.

Type 2: Blooms in May and June

If it blooms on old wood in May and June, then blooms again in autumn on new wood, this type should be lightly pruned in April. Choose the stronger branches and cut above the buds, with the goal of encouraging new growth for more flowers next year.

Type 3: Blooms in July and August

Varieties that bloom in July and August on new growth from the current year should be heavily pruned after the flowers fade and before winter, or in early April.

Cut at about 30 cm from the ground, choosing a point above a spot with multiple buds, to encourage more new branches and blooms next year.

(The seed heads of clematis are very cute, aren't they?)

As for small-flowered clematis, they generally don't need regular pruning. Only when they become too overgrown and there isn't enough space can you prune them.

The best time to prune is late winter and early spring. You can cut back to the woody part from the previous year, that is, the part above the base.

This kind of pruning will cut off all the spring flower buds, but the summer bloom period will continue flowering, and the flowering will be even better.

If you don't want to prune this heavily, you can also do it in stages over three years, cutting one-third of the stems each year, down to 6-9 inches. This way you'll still have flowers every spring, but every three years the whole plant will be renewed.

The climbing nature of clematis allows it to climb any shape. Below is one seen at a botanical garden near the Grand Falls, where clematis was allowed to climb a spherical frame made of vines, with excellent results.

IV. Types of Clematis

Through the breeding efforts of horticulturists, there are more and more types of clematis, and more and more people are growing them. Many people even collect different varieties of clematis the way they do roses.

Some people grow more than a dozen kinds in just one yard. Below are several very beautiful and relatively rare clematis seen recently:

Below is one with large red flowers, and the six petals are as thick as velvet, very luxurious. Another is purplish-red, but the four petals are very thin, like an iron cross.

V. Other Similar Varieties

The one below is Clematis montana. This type is the earliest to bloom each year. The flowers are delicate and beautiful, yet it has strong vitality and spreads very readily, so it's often used to cover a wall or some unsightly buildings. (See image below)

Another is the lantern-shaped clematis, with blue-purple lantern-shaped flowers. Although the flowers aren't large, they're very eye-catching. This flower can tolerate a little shade and blooms in summer, so it can be heavily pruned in early spring. Prune too late and you'll lose the chance to bloom. (See image below)

Recently, smaller-flowered lantern clematis have become popular, like the light purple lantern type in the image below. When it blooms, there are a great many flowers, and it's also a favorite among collectors.

As for yellow clematis, it has recently become a collection target for backyard gardening enthusiasts. The image below shows a yellow variety native to the high mountains of China. The flowers are very small, and the four petals are initially lantern-shaped, then curl upward afterward. After the flowers fade, the seeds appear in thread-like strands.