Anemone clematis

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; shade the root area without deeply shading the climbing stems.

Water

Keep the soil evenly moist during establishment. Once established, water deeply during prolonged dry spells, especially beside walls.

Soil

Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; tolerates acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

20-40 ft (6-12 m)

Spread

8-13 ft (2.5-4 m)

Flowers

Late spring to early summer; usually white, with pink flowers in many cultivated forms. Some forms are fragrant.

Foliage

Deciduous leaves divided into three toothed leaflets; usually green, sometimes bronze-tinted when young.

Growth

Fast once established.

Care needed

Medium

• Provide strong supports with thin wires or mesh that the leaf stalks can grip; tie in young shoots.
• Plant the crown about 2-3 in (5-8 cm) below the finished soil level in well-drained ground.
• Water deeply through the first two growing seasons and during extended drought.
• Apply compost or well-rotted organic mulch each spring, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Feed established plants with a balanced garden fertiliser in spring, following the label rate.
• Keep stems away from gutters, roof tiles and small trees that cannot carry their weight.

Pruning. Pruning group 1: prune immediately after flowering, removing dead or damaged stems and shortening growth that has outgrown its space. Avoid routine winter pruning, which removes the following spring's flower buds; renovate an overgrown plant in stages after flowering.

Early spring

Apply compost mulch and a balanced fertiliser as growth begins.

Spring

Tie new shoots to supports and check that wires and fixings are secure.

Late spring

Enjoy flowering; wait until flowers fade before cutting back healthy growth.

Early summer

Prune after flowering to control size and remove damaged stems.

Summer

Water during dry spells and take semi-ripe cuttings if you want more plants.

Autumn

Plant in mild regions while the soil is moist and workable; defer planting until spring in colder areas.

Winter

Check supports after storms and leave healthy stems intact to preserve flower buds.

• Train over a substantial pergola for a brief, abundant spring canopy followed by summer leaf cover.
• Cover a long fence or large wall using wires set away from the surface.
• Let it climb into a sturdy mature tree, keeping it out of small or young trees.
• Combine with a later-flowering climbing rose on a strong framework to extend the flowering season.

Garden styles it suits: English country, Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Woodland, Arts and Crafts and English manor.

Plant it with: Climbing roses, Lilacs, Hardy geraniums, Hostas, Foxgloves and Snowdrops.

Wildlife: The open flowers can provide pollen for visiting insects. Dense mature growth offers shelter and potential nesting cover for small birds.

• Poor flowering: winter pruning removes flower-bearing wood; prune only after flowering and improve light if the canopy is heavily shaded.
• Dry roots and weak growth: walls and mature trees can create dry soil; water deeply and maintain an organic mulch.
• Aphids on young shoots: wash off small colonies with water and encourage ladybirds and other natural predators.
• Slugs and snails damaging new shoots: inspect young growth at dusk, remove pests and use wildlife-conscious controls where needed.

Toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses if chewed or eaten. Fresh leaves, stems and other green parts contain irritating compounds that can cause mouth pain, drooling, vomiting or diarrhoea; sap can irritate skin. Small accidental tastes usually cause irritation rather than severe poisoning, but larger amounts can be more serious; seek medical or veterinary advice after ingestion.

Where it spreads. Escapes from gardens and can smother vegetation in parts of New Zealand. Even where it is not listed as invasive, its vigorous growth can overwhelm small trees and shrubs.

• Evergreen clematis (Clematis armandii)

  Also produces masses of white spring flowers, but keeps its long, leathery evergreen leaflets through winter.

• Traveller's joy (Clematis vitalba)

  Usually has five leaflets, smaller creamy flowers in summer and conspicuous fluffy seed heads; montana usually has three leaflets and larger spring flowers.

• Sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora)

  Flowers in late summer or autumn rather than spring and usually has three to five smooth-edged leaflets.

Clematis comes from the Greek word for a climbing shoot, montana means mountain-dwelling, and anemone clematis refers to its anemone-like open flowers.

Propagation. Layer a low stem in spring, or take semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Seed-grown plants vary and may take several years to flower; use cuttings or layering to retain a named garden form.

Accepted botanical name

Clematis montana

Native range

Afghanistan, Assam, Bangladesh, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Inner Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Qinghai.

Measured

Average height 900 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.