Clematis viticella 'Flore Pleno'
clematis (group 3) (syn. Clematis viticella Mary Rose)
Enjoying a revival in recent years, this tough and vigorous climber is thought to date back to the 1500's. It was...
Spring is an excellent time to plant a viticella clematis, such as ‘Flore Pleno’. It will have a chance to put its feet down and flower by late July. Climbers take up little ground room and viticellas, bred from a Spanish species, are drought tolerant and easy to prune. Just cut them back hard now. They flower on new wood. 'Purpurea Plena Elegans’, 'Etoile Violette', 'Polish Spirit’, ‘Romantika’, and 'Dark Eyes’ are all excellent viticellas.
Plant description
Enjoying a revival in recent years, this tough and vigorous climber is thought to date back to the 1500's. It was thought to have been lost for several hundred years, but it was rediscovered in the 1980's by Barry Fretwell who named it Clematis 'Mary Rose'. You will want to grow it for its nodding, dusky purple flowers, which appear over a prolonged period from midsummer.
Eventual height & spread
Flowering period
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Plant features
Position
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth
Fast-growing
Soil
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness
Fully hardy
How to care for Clematis viticella Flore Pleno:
To avoid dry conditions, and to ensure good soil contact around the rootball, we advise planting climbers at least 30cm (12in), and preferably 45-60cm (18-24in) away from the base of a wall or fence. An even larger distance should be maintained when planting climbers beside an existing tree or shrub.
In early spring cut back the previous year's stes to a pair of strong buds about 15-20cm (6-8in) above ground levey a slow-release balanced fertiliser and a mulch of well-rotted garden compost around the plant, avoiding the immediate crown.
Please note:
Warning
GOES WELL WITH
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