Clematis has a special place in the garden. Florists appreciate the beauty of this plant and the ability to create a hedge strewn with colorful flowers with its help.
With the help of clematis, entwining its long vines around trees, walls of buildings, hedges, or simply creeping along the ground like a carpet, you can give the garden a unique look. Because of the rapid growth of vines and abundant flowering, gardeners call clematis the king of climbing plants.
To date, about 250 species and more than two thousand varieties of this amazing vine are known. It should be noted that the varieties differ not only in color, but also in flowering time and flower size. For example, the smallest flowers are no more than 2.5 cm in diameter. The largest ones can grow up to 20 cm or more.
Clematis is a perennial plant, its flowering time depends on the species and variety. For example, some clematis delight the eye with abundant flowering in early spring, others in summer. There are also known varieties that bloom until late autumn. Clematis are unpretentious to care for, they grow well in the sun and in partial shade, as a rule, they are resistant to various diseases. But at the same time, it should be noted that this plant is very fond of fertile, loose, well-drained soil and moderate watering.
Clematis seedlings should be purchased in specialized flower shops, in autumn and spring. But not at the very end, since the young layers of clematis do not take root well and get very sick.
All flowers are good - choose for the soul
Among the huge variety of clematis, you can find early flowering varieties, summer and autumn. For example, spring flowers bloom profusely. Among them, the most popular are alpine and mountain clematis. And if you choose the right varieties of clematis, differing in height, tillering ability, flower size, your garden will delight you with bright flowers throughout the spring-autumn season.
Hybrid clematis are very popular among florists. They are loved not only for their bright, unusual paint, but also for their large flowers, which, like roses, can bloom several times a year. But at the same time, hybrid plants require more attention, as they are more vulnerable to adverse factors. Clematis hybrids also differ in growth rate. They tend to grow much slower than other members of this beautiful perennial vine.
The tallest plants of hybrid varieties reach a height of up to three meters.
The most resistant to diseases of the root system are varieties of purple clematis (Clematis viticella). It blooms only on young shoots, the first flowers appear at the end of June.
What to give preference to?
The variety of varieties of clematis groups gives florists the opportunity to use various options for decorating a garden design. For example, plants with large flowers are very popular. Among them are the Zhakmana, Vititsella, Lanuginoza varieties.
Group "Zhakman"
Clematis "Zhakman" (jackmanii) is considered its ancestor. It includes several dozen varieties of plants, characterized by semi-woody or herbaceous vines with long, up to four meters, shoots, large flowers, which, when opened, reach 12-15 cm. Clematis of this group bloom magnificently, the main flowering time is July-September. The "Zhakman" group has a wide range of colors. It has violet (Andre Leroy), lilac-pink (Comtesse de Bouchaud), violet-purple (Gipsy Queen), pale blue ("Anastasia Anisimova"), reddish-lilac ("Nikolai Rubtsov") shades.
Group "Viticella"
Varieties of this group are obtained by crossing purple clematis (viticella) with other representatives of this plant. The flowers of these clematis grow on the shoots of the current year, consist of 5 or 6 sepals and are usually red, pink, purple in color. The most common varieties in this group: Ville de Lyon with crimson-red flowers, Ernest Markham (red). If you want to populate purple clematis in your garden, buy Etoile Violette, for fans of bright crimson flowers "Alexandrite" will suit, for fans of light pink tones - "Nikitsky".
Group "Lanuginoza"
Clematis of the "Lanuginosa" group (lanuginosa) are formed from woolly clematis and differ from the previous groups in thinner vines 2-3 meters long. Flowers in plants of this species are large, with 6-8 sepals, very delicate pastel color. Usually flowers of the cultivar "Lanuginoza" are light, blue or pink tones. Flowers are formed mainly on old shoots, which must be cut off in autumn and covered for the winter. The most popular varieties of this group of clematis are Blue Gem (blue), Crimson Star (raspberry), Ramona (dark blue). Clematis of the "Ballerina" variety will delight you with white flowers.
Planting clematis
Despite the unpretentiousness, when planting clematis, several rules must be observed. For example, they are best planted in fertile and well-drained soil. It should be remembered that the roots of clematis should be kept cool. Reproduction of clematis can be carried out by cuttings or by dividing the bush. If you decide to propagate clematis by cuttings, in June or July, cut cuttings 10-15 cm long with a leaf node from the shoots from the middle part of the bush and plant them in the sand, mixed with a nutritious earthen mixture. When the cuttings are rooted (after about a month), they will need to be transplanted into separate cups and then into larger containers. In spring, young clematis need to be planted in the ground.
