Clematis

The genus Clematis includes more than 250 resistant or pampered, herbaceous or lignified climbing deciduous or evergreen species. Clematis has a simple perianth of large sepals, diverse in color, shape, and size. The petals are absent or very small; there are many stamens and pistils, of various colors with characteristic beautiful double or semi-double shapes. The most popular types are curly ones. Alpine clematis (Clematis alpina) is a deciduous compact plant with drooping cup-shaped purple-blue flowers with light gray stamens without anthers. Small white flowers of deciduous clematis flamula (C. flammula) bloom from July to September. Large-petaled clematis (C. macropetala) is a deciduous compact plant with blue or blue flowers that appear in May and June. Very lush clematis mountain (C. montana) with pure white or light pink flowers that adorn the axils of the leaves on the branches of the previous year in May-June. Another very lush species is clematis vitalba (C. vitalba) with small ivory flowers blooming in July and August. Clematis Fargesa (C. fargesii) with white flowers, Forster's clematis (C. forsteri) and oriental clematis (C. orientalis) with yellow-colored leaves. Herbaceous species are less common than climbing ones: Clematis hogweed (C. heracleifolia) with tubular purplish-blue flowers, whole-leaved (C. integrifolia) with bell-shaped flowers of indigo and blue colors, straight (C. recta) with star-shaped white flowers.

The genus Clematis includes more than 250 resistant or pampered, herbaceous or lignified climbing deciduous or evergreen species. Clematis has a simple perianth of large sepals, diverse in color, shape, and size. The petals are absent or very small; there are many stamens and pistils, of various colors with characteristic beautiful double or semi-double shapes. The most popular types are curly ones. Alpine clematis (Clematis alpina) is a deciduous compact plant with drooping cup-shaped purple-blue flowers with light gray stamens without anthers. Small white flowers of deciduous clematis flamula (C. flammula) bloom from July to September. Large-petaled clematis (C. macropetala) is a deciduous compact plant with blue or blue flowers that appear in May and June. Very lush clematis mountain (C. montana) with pure white or light pink flowers that adorn the axils of the leaves on the branches of the previous year in May-June. Another very lush species is clematis vitalba (C. vitalba) with small ivory flowers blooming in July and August. Clematis Fargesa (C. fargesii) with white flowers, Forster's clematis (C. forsteri) and oriental clematis (C. orientalis) with yellow-colored leaves. Herbaceous species are less common than climbing ones: Clematis hogweed (C. heracleifolia) with tubular purplish-blue flowers, whole-leaved (C. integrifolia) with bell-shaped flowers of indigo and blue colors, straight (C. recta) with star-shaped white flowers.

Cultivation

Clematis is a plant exclusively open ground, one of the most beautiful climbing crops. It is used for vertical gardening; decoration of walls, verandas, terraces, lawns, gardens, parks. These plants need fertile, well-drained, loamy, neutral or slightly alkaline soils. Most clematis species are quite hardy plants, but they are planted in a place protected from the wind. For example, clematis Forster (the most delicate type) - for the winter, separate from the support, carefully, trying not to damage, lay the whips on the ground and cover with straw, leaves, fir twigs and other materials (the layer thickness is about 20 cm).

Location

Clematis is placed in a sunny place, but at the bottom the plant should be covered from direct sunlight. They do not tolerate swampy, flooded or saline soils.

Temperature

These plants can withstand temperatures not lower than 5-10 °C (depending on the species); optimal conditions are 15-20 °C.

Watering

Clematis is quite sensitive to drought, so in hot weather it should be regularly and abundantly watered.

Care

As a rule, it is better not to prune clematis - you just need to thin out the plant and remove individual dry whips. But if you can't do without pruning , the most densely leaved shoots are shortened by 1/3.

Reproduction

For propagation of climbing clematis in July-August, shoots from the middle part of the bush are cut into 10-15-centimeter segments with one leaf node and planted in clean sand (4-5 cm), under which there is a nutritious earth mixture. After rooting (about a month), they are transplanted into 8-cm cups, and then into larger containers until the next spring, when they are already placed in the open ground. Very useful for clematis is such a procedure as mulching the soil with humus during planting. In herbaceous species, cuttings 7-8 cm long are taken in April-May. Thanks to the long shoots, clematis can be propagated in layers. In March, part of the shoot is dug in, having previously made an incision on it from the underside. Large-flowered clematis is propagated by dividing bushes and very rarely by grafting.

For propagation of climbing clematis in July-August, shoots from the middle part of the bush are cut into 10-15-centimeter segments with one leaf node and planted in clean sand (4-5 cm), under which there is a nutritious earth mixture. After rooting (about a month), they are transplanted into 8-cm cups, and then into larger containers until the next spring, when they are already placed in the open ground.

Very useful for clematis is such a procedure as mulching the soil with humus during planting. In herbaceous species, cuttings 7-8 cm long are taken in April-May.

Thanks to the long shoots, clematis can be propagated in layers. In March, part of the shoot is dug in, having previously made an incision on it from the underside. Large-flowered clematis is propagated by dividing bushes and very rarely by grafting.

Diseases

With plants of the genus Clematis, usually there are no unsolvable problems. Young shoots are affected by aphids, which are disposed of by treatment with appropriate insecticides. Snails pose another danger to the shoots, and earwigs gnaw the edges of leaves and flowers. The fungus-causative agent of clematis spotting-Ascochita clematidina-causes the appearance of wilted lashes. The affected plant is thrown out Oidium (powdery mildew) accompanied by the appearance of a whitish plaque on the leaves and flowers. In this case, the plant is treated with sulfur or a special fungicide.

Acquisition

Clematis is easily obtained in horticultural centers and nurseries. The best time to buy them is the end of winter or the beginning of spring, in which case they can be immediately planted in a permanent place.