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There are approximately 250 species of Clematis which is a member of the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family.
The Clematis is a woody, deciduous climbing plant what has a great variety in flower form, color, bloom season and plant height. When planted in the correct zone they can last as long as 25 years! Many species are hardy to even zone three. They have lovely flowers and the vines look terrible in the winter when they become a tangle of bare stems.
Some of the flowers range in size of one and a half inch to three inches in diameter.
In the mid 1800’s there was a surge of interest in Clematis and plants from China and Japan became the parents of the hybrids. By 1880 the interest in Clematis died down.
I have found Clematis to be hard to grow if you do not put them in the proper site. I know because only about 3 of the 10 I have planted over the past 6 years have survived even though they were all for my zone 6. Clematis require full sun for best growth with at least 6 hours of direct sun per day yet they are helped by some dappled shade during the heat of the day. The site must be open enough to allow air movement around the plants and the soil you plant them in should be rich and well draining with a pH close to neutral (7.0). The Clematis’ stems and foliage love the sun, but the roots like a cool, moist environment.
Most all Clematis will require staking so the twining leaf petioles can cling and climb upwards and if you decide to plant them next to a large tree trunk consider that some do not compete well with large tree roots. The exception to this is the C. Montana Clematis.
If you have an old rock pile, low wall or wood pile where you think the Clematis will grow then you can let it sprawl all over it and it will create quite a sight.
Buy your Clematis at a nursery in the container they are grown in. They do not like to be dug up and transplanted.
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/
To see Arlene’s Gardens and to read her gardening diaries or click on Arlene’s Books where you can download or buy her gardening & cook books. Arlene says, “All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and I thank you for visiting my site.”
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