Clematis is rightly often called the queen of the vines for its regal efficiency within the backyard.
It fortunately scrambles up and over arbors, pergolas, and trellises, in addition to by different crops, creating lovely partitions of wealthy shade.
A carefree perennial, the hanging, star-like flowers bloom in shades of blue, pink, purple, purple, white, and yellow from late winter into spring, summer season, and early autumn.
However not all forms of this showy climber are chilly hardy, and lots of can profit from some preventative winter care.
With safety from freezing temperatures and arduous frosts, your vines will return with an abundance of flowers yr after yr.
Right here’s what’s to return in our clematis winter care information:
Clematis Fundamentals
As a perennial, clematis are vigorous vines that return yearly, rising from the identical plant inventory.
Hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 9, there are some species which might be even appropriate for rising in chilly Zone 2.
Nevertheless, there are each hardy and tender varieties obtainable, and never all will survive prolonged freezing temperatures.
For these dwelling in colder areas, winter hardiness is a vital attribute to bear in mind when buying.
Clematis have three distinct blooming durations that correspond to their pruning teams, often called Teams 1, 2, and three (aka Teams A, B, and C).
Realizing what group your crops belong to is essential earlier than you begin any winter pruning.
Group 1
Group 1 are the early bloomers that flower on outdated wooden in winter and early spring, they usually require no pruning.
Some species on this group can survive Zones 3 to five, though many gained’t flower as profusely in these areas – air and soil temperatures normally don’t heat up sufficient to coincide with their early bloom durations.
This group additionally contains evergreen varieties, that are probably the most vulnerable to frost injury.
Discover our favourite Group 1 cultivar alternatives right here.
Group 2
Group 2 varieties bloom vigorously in spring, with a lighter second flush in summer season. Flowers develop on outdated and new wooden respectively.
These crops get solely a light-weight trim in early spring, then a more durable pruning in summer season to encourage a second set of flowers on new progress.
These crops may also underperform considerably in chilly zones, for a similar purpose as Group 1s – they want heat temperatures early within the yr.
Usually, Group 2 varieties have two bloom durations, however in chilly areas that is typically lowered to only one set of flowers on outdated wooden in early summer season.
Discover our favourite Group 2 cultivar alternatives right here.
Group 3
Group 3 crops flower in late spring, summer season, and into autumn, with flowers blooming solely on new wooden.
This group will get reduce arduous in winter, so frost injury to stems is negligible – a bonus in chilly zones.
Group 3 sorts even have probably the most appropriate bloom interval for colder areas, with flowers blooming within the heat of early summer season proper up till first frost.
Listed here are a number of ideas if in case you have current clematis crops and aren’t certain what group they belong to:
Group 1s typically develop thick, woody base stems measuring two to 6 inches throughout. They don’t get pruned, which permits them to develop bigger than these within the different two teams.
