This is not one of the big flowered clematis that you might be used to. The tiny flowers have a vanilla-like fragrance and are produced in great masses during the late summer and early fall. The late bloom time is nature’s gift to bees and other pollinators as most plants wind down for the winter. Like other clematis, this one produces beautiful swirling seed heads when the flowers fade. The vine is very large and reseeds itself so in some areas of the country it is considered a weed. The vigorous nature and large size of the plant make it especially valuable when creating a screen or covering a sturdy pergola or fence. Alternatively, it can be left to sprawl as a ground cover. It even does well in part shade.
Type: Twining, deciduous vine
Bloom: Small white, fragrant flowers are produced in terminal panicles from late summer to early fall.
Foliage: Compound, leathery, shiny
Size: 15-30’
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Average, moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 5-9
Care: Blooms on new growth so prune hard in the fall after blooming or in early spring.
Pests and Diseases: None of significance.
Propagation: Seed; cuttings in spring or summer.
Karen Meyers