Italian clematis, Clematis viticella: care and pruning from AZ

The plant is deciduous and develops fresh, green, lanceolate leaves in spring that are softly hairy on the underside. Flowering begins in June and can last into September. The wild species impresses with violet to purple small bell-like flowers. The cultivated varieties appear in a diverse range of colors and are mostly bowl-shaped. In autumn, the wild Clematis viticella in particular develops fruits with seeds that are suitable for further sowing. The wild clematis overgrows walls and bushes in the free natural occurrence and climbs into nearby trees. Regular pruning is therefore very important in garden culture.

sowing

After flowering, small fruits are formed that contain the seeds that can be used for sowing if the Clematis viticella is also to be propagated at another location. Otherwise, the plant also multiplies naturally by falling seeds at the same location. However, when sowing in a targeted manner, the following procedure should be followed:

• pick up fallen seeds
• alternatively pick directly from the berry
• Fill pots with potting soil
• Insert seeds easily
• light germinator
• keep moist
• cover with transparent foil
• air daily
• warm, bright location
• if the first seedlings appear, remove the foil

The small plants can then be planted out in the desired location in the spring after the ice saints in May. They remain quite small in the first year, but good growth and abundant flowering can be expected from the second year onwards.

heyday

During the flowering period from June to September, the Italian clematis shows its full splendor. Because if the plant is in the right place, it will form more flowers than it has leaves at this time. The green leaves then almost completely disappear under the blooming splendour. The colors vary depending on the variety, with the original, wild clematis producing predominantly purple or violet flowers.

soil condition

Clematis viticella prefers moist to slightly dry soil. The soil should not dry out completely, but waterlogging must be prevented. A humus-rich garden soil is ideal for the healthy growth of clematis. On the other hand, the substrate should never be acidic. The plant tolerates lime very well. When planting, compost should therefore be mixed into the existing soil so that the desired nutrients can enrich the soil. A permanent layer of mulch prevents the soil from drying out and also keeps the sun’s rays away from the sensitive roots.

fertilizing & watering

The Clematis viticella needs regular fertilizer, which should be lifted under the ground in spring in the form of compost. If the soil around the plant is also mulched all year round to keep the moisture in the soil, this also releases nutrients that get into the soil and thus also into the roots. A further, additional fertilizing is then usually not necessary. It should be poured as follows:

• Don’t let the root ball dry out
• water as soon as the top layer of soil is dry
• Avoid waterlogging
• daily watering during hot periods
• water in the early morning or late evening hours

Diseases & Pests

The Italian clematis and its newly bred varieties are all very resistant to diseases and pests of all kinds. Even the dreaded clematis wilt, in which whole shoots wither and then dry out completely, cannot harm it and is not known to Clematis viticella. Other diseases or pests are also not known so far.

plant

The ideal planting time for the new plants is late spring, ideally in May after the ice saints. When planting, care must be taken to ensure that drainage is also created to avoid waterlogging. A climbing aid should also be installed directly during the planting process. For this reason, a pergola or a fence is installed for beds that are exposed in the garden, and climbing aids made of solid wire or wooden slats can be attached to the wall of a bed located directly against a wall. When planting, proceed as follows:

• dig deep hole
• drainage to the ground
• fill with stones or gravel
• Mix soil with compost
• insert plant
• Also use climbing aids
• fill in soil
• water well
• Put on a layer of mulch

plant neighbors

Especially in garden beds that are in direct sunlight, Clematis viticella needs different plant neighbors that give it enough shade on the ground. It is well tolerated by all plants that want the same soil conditions. However, care must be taken that the clematis does not completely overgrow the plants planted in the vicinity. Because then the plant neighbors could be damaged because they no longer receive enough light, sun and air. The following are suitable as neighboring plants:

• low shrubs
• All kinds of ground cover
• Trees as climbing aids
• many varieties of roses

To cut

Clematis viticella is very tolerant of pruning. This is because, as is usually the case with summer bloomers, it bears the flowers on the new shoots. Therefore, the plant can also tolerate a strong annual pruning. This should be done as follows:

• Use pruning shears or pruning shears
• sharp, cleaned and disinfected
• ideal time in November or December
• on a dry, frost-free day
• cut back all shoots
• 20 to 50 centimeters above the base
• when growing into an adjacent plant
• Cut shoots that could damage the other plant
• can be done at any time
• also shoots that bear many flowers

location

Since the Italian clematis is hardy, you can cultivate it in the garden bed. Pot cultivation is possible, but should be considered because of the height of the plant and the resulting size of the trellis. Because regular repotting can be very difficult. In terms of location, care should be taken to ensure that the plant is in the shade in the root and lower stem area, while the rest of the growing area tolerates the sun. So the ideal location should look like this:

• semi-shady to sunny
• requires climbing aid
• in front of a western or eastern wall
• in front of south wall, ground shady
• on a fence
• on a pergola or trellis
• slightly sheltered from the wind

In any case, care should be taken to ensure that the plant is given the right location right from the start. If, after years, it turns out that the clematis should move to another place, then the climbing aid also has to be moved, which can be very difficult due to the size. The climbing aids, such as a pergola, are often concreted into the ground.

multiply

Clematis can easily be propagated by cuttings. However, you should note that the ideally used cuttings are very susceptible to rot at this stage, which can make propagation more difficult. If you want to multiply the Clematis viticella by cuttings, then you should proceed as follows:

• best time in late spring
• May to June
• use half-ripe shoots
• Cut about 10 to 15 centimeters long
• Put potting soil in pots
• Insert cuttings
• at least one eye underground
• place in a warm, bright location
• keep moist
• Put a PET bottle cut in half over it
• ventilate several times a day

When the first green spots appear on the cutting, it will have rooted. If the nursery pot is large enough, the new plant can remain in the container. In the first summer, a semi-shaded location is ideal so that the delicate leaves do not burn. Next spring, the clematis can be transplanted to the desired location.

Different sorts

In addition to the wild species of Italian clematis, there are also many other cultivated varieties. In recent years, these have become increasingly popular in local gardens, displacing the clematis hybrids with their large flowers. Because the varieties of Clematis viticella have smaller flowers that look more natural and graceful. In addition, clematis are less prone to diseases and pests, such as clematis wilt, which every gardener fears. The following varieties can be mentioned here:

• “Mme Julia Correvon” – award-winning
  • purple flowers
• “Prince Charles”
  • light blue flowers
• “Violet Star”
  • dark purple flowers
• „Minuet“
  • bicolor flowers in white and magenta
• „Awning“
  • pink, ruffled flowers