Clematis ‘Diamantina’
(KLEM-uh-tiss)
Clematis is one of the vines we always get requests for but
not many people know how to grow it.
After 30 years of trying I have to admit I am still a bit stumped but
have developed some general rules for success. One thing that these plants seem
to like is a ‘hot top, cool bottom.’ Which implies exactly that, the roots like
to be shaded by other shrubs or mulch but the leaves need a lot of sun to
flower properly.
Each type of Clematis seems to have it’s own likes about
flowering on new wood or getting cut back completely. Often times the varietal
names are lost so you have to guess what they want. My way is to wait until
spring and see what part of the plant has been killed by winter and prune to
that spot. It is also a plant that I install slightly deeper then most other
plants. Covering one or two buds under the soil seem to help it establish
stronger.
This 2010 introduction is from Raymond Evison, who has been
breeding and introducing Clematis for over 50 years now. They have some very
distinctive and showy types. Raymond seems to be one breeder that doesn’t rush
varieties to the market, which is a welcome change.
Clematis is generally a pain in the butt to grow but is one of
those plants if it likes the conditions it grows very well. If it doesn’t like
them it struggles and eventually peters out. They are also subject to Clematis
wilt, which often takes the plant out just before it flowers. The only way I
have found to slow the wilt down is with a couple of well timed fungicide
applications early in the season and that doesn’t always work. In general you
can help the plants by watching your watering timing and keeping the area
around the stems clean (good fall clean up). The fungus kills the top but
usually leaves the roots alive.
