Italian clematis

Italian clematis: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Deciduous climber, 2–4 m tall and 1–1.5 m wide, that regrows from the base each spring.

Leaf

Pinnate, with 5–7 oval to lance-shaped leaflets; the leaf stalks twist around a support.

Flower

Nodding to open, usually with four petal-like sepals, 4–8 cm across, from July to September on the new shoots.

Colour

Purple to violet in the species; cultivars also in wine red, pink, blue and white, single or double.

Roots

Fine and fleshy; they like a cool, shaded base.

Flowering: July–September · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: February–March

Why grow it?

• Flowers for three months, from July to September, when most clematis have finished.
• Rarely affected by clematis wilt, the main problem of large-flowered clematis.
• Easy pruning: cut everything back in one go in February–March.
• Ideal for growing through a shrub, hedge or climbing rose.
• Bees visit the flowers.

Italian clematis: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade for the flowers, but a cool, shaded base.
• Humus-rich, well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
• Moderately moist: do not let it dry out in summer, and avoid wet feet in winter.
• A support of thin wires, mesh or a shrub: the leaf stalks cannot grip a thick post.
• Plant 30–40 cm from a wall or shrub and allow 1–1.5 m per plant.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

4 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Climbing rose: The classic pairing: the clematis takes over when the first flush of roses is over.
• Yew: Purple or wine-red flowers through a dark green hedge.
• Lilac: A spring-flowering shrub that becomes the clematis’s support in summer.
• Lady’s mantle: Keeps the base cool and shaded.

Italian clematis: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant in March–May or September–October.
2. Stand the pot in a bucket of water for a quarter of an hour first so the root ball is thoroughly wet.
3. Dig a generous hole 30–40 cm from the wall or shrub and mix in compost.
4. Set the plant 5–10 cm deeper than it was in the pot, so that some buds are below ground: it can then reshoot after damage.
5. Lead the stems at an angle to the support, water well and cover the base with stones, mulch or low plants.

Care

Water

Weekly in dry spells during the first year; later too in dry summers, preferably in the morning at the base.

Feeding

Compost or an organic fertiliser for flowering plants in March–April.

Tying in

Guide the young shoots through the support in April–May; they grow fast and tangle otherwise.

Mulching

A layer of compost or leaf mould in spring keeps the roots cool and moist.

Deadheading

Not necessary; the plant keeps on flowering.

Tip: Plant it 5–10 cm deeper than it was in the pot and put a few stones or low plants over the base: the roots like it cool, the flowers like light.

Italian clematis: when to prune it?

Pruning months: February–March.

When: In February–March, when the buds begin to swell. It flowers on new wood, so a hard prune costs no flowers.

How:

• Cut all stems back to 20–30 cm above the ground, just above a pair of fat buds.
• Carefully pull the old, dead stems out of the support or shrub.
• In the first spring after planting, also cut back to 30 cm so it branches from the base.
• If it grows through a spring-flowering shrub, you can remove the dead stems as early as November.

Caution: If you do not prune, it flowers only at the top and becomes bare and untidy at the base.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In May–July, take internodal cuttings from semi-ripe shoots and root them in moist, gritty compost under plastic, out of the sun.

Layering

In spring, peg a stem into a pot of compost, nicking it lightly at a node; sever it after a year.

Seed

For the species only: sow in autumn in a cold frame. Germination is slow and cultivars do not come true from seed.

Italian clematis: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −25 °C: no protection needed in Belgium.
• The old stems die back or are cut off in February–March; the plant regrows from the base.
• In a pot: choose one of at least 40 cm and wrap it in hessian or bubble wrap in winter.

Diseases and pests

• Clematis wilt: A whole stem suddenly wilts. Rare in this species. Cut back to healthy growth; thanks to deep planting it will reshoot.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in late summer, especially in dry weather. Water at the base and remove affected leaves.
• Slugs: Young shoots eaten in spring. Pick them off in the evening or put a collar around the base.
• Aphids: On young tips in May–June. Hose them off; ladybirds help.
• Earwigs: Small holes in the petals. Hang up a flowerpot stuffed with straw as a shelter and move them to the fruit trees.

Through the year

• February: Prune to 20–30 cm above the ground.
• March: Prune if not yet done. Planting. Feed.
• April: Planting. Tie in young shoots. Watch for slugs.
• May: Guide shoots through the support or shrub. Planting. Take cuttings.
• June: Water in dry spells. Take cuttings.
• July: Flowering begins. Water in dry spells.
• August: Full flower. Watch for mildew.
• September: Last flowers. Planting.
• October: Planting.

Edible and useful

Not edible. All parts of clematis are poisonous: when the plant is damaged it releases protoanemonin, an acrid substance also found in buttercups and anemones. On the skin the sap can cause redness, itching and blisters, especially in people who often prune with bare hands; in the mouth it causes a burning feeling, drooling, vomiting and stomach ache. The acrid, bitter taste puts off most people and animals, but keep small children, dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs away from the plant and the clippings. Horses and other livestock can eat more of it if they reach a clematis over the fence or find the clippings: do not plant it along a field, and never throw the clippings into a field, pen or hutch. Wear gloves when pruning and tying in, and wash your hands afterwards. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• Viticella means ‘little vine’, a diminutive of Vitis, the grapevine.
• Clematis climbs by twisting its leaf stalks around a support, so thin wires or twigs work better than a thick post.
• The species has been grown in western European gardens since the 16th century.