Are later flowers like that? Might be from erratic temperature changes like we have had in ME this Spring. The only thing blooming for me so far, except for some bought in bud, is macropetala Blue Bird, and that does not seem to have any "mutations". But a much older Asao is full of fat buds, so I'll check to see if the first ones to open look odd this year.

Marie in ME

This is last year's bloom and each previous year's bloom has been just as mottled. I've got 15 different clematis and this is the only one that is mottled or weird in this way. I figure if this is a sport, I'd call it "Garcia's Trip"

I've got a Montana Rubens blooming right now and buds developing on a bunch of others (as long as the squirrels stop eating them), including The President.

~Chills

I have never seen the President look like that and it might be the weather affecting its blooms. Then again, it might not be the President.

You know..the first bloom I had on my clematis "Climador" aka "Konigskind" sorta looked mottled like that..and he is a seedling of the President..isn't he?..Jeanne

I've had Daniel Deronda's first blooms look weird but only one or two. It is also a child of The President.

Is it just fading from the sun? My Richard Pennell faded really badly this year. Bleached almost white. Really ugly.

Bleaching is another possibility. Here is a picture of Ramona with a new bloom in the center surrounded by other flowers that have been open for a while. The sun can do a number on clematis flower color although I don't think I have seen the bleaching done in such a striated pattern before. Then again anything is possible when Mother Nature interacts with plants!

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Wow, my Ramona doesn't do that at all but my Richard Pennell's transformation is actually even whiter from a darker bloom to begin with.

I really don't want to move it, I've got it paired with a dark red miniature climbing rose and the red cast to the purple and the red stamens look so nice with it but the bleached blooms are awful.

The flowers open looking like that, bleaching and weather seem to make no difference. I've got a bunch of buds ready to open (the first couple are close enough that I have peeked and the mottled effect remains. This makes it the fourth year in a row.

I'll try to take a picture of this year's flowers once they're open, including a close-up so that people can more clearly see the effect.

~Chills

A close up would be wonderful Chills. Striated flowers are a rarity amongst clematis. If that is what you have Chills, you have a keeper and one that should be propagated. The only clematis that I can think of that has striated colored blooms is Tie Dye, one of my favorites which is just now beginning to bloom this year.

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Here are this year's blooms (pictures taken today!)

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and

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This makes four years in a row with the flowers looking like this.

~Chills

Love it Chills. That is really unusual. Sounds like you have a whole plant this a sport. Looks good enough to propagate and enter as a new clematis!!!

I bought these and planted them for this season and they did not bloom or sprout anything. What could the problem be? Everything else in my garden came up except this. Any suggestions???

Definitely looks like you have yourself a sport/mutation and one worthy of propagation. Contact a clematis nursery and get it named and propagated, there can also be a few bucks to be made for yourself, as I'm sure it would sell rather well :)

Terry

Are there viruses that attack clematis? I've had tulips and roses with virus that affect the blooms this way.
But I'm really hoping this is a sport! If so, I'd be very willing to buy some cuttings.

You do have to be careful with some plants and viruses causing this sort of distortion. I know when I contacted Dan Brushwood about Barbara Ann's Lace that he said that some plants do get variegated foliage and/or blooms from viruses. I asked about Tie Dye and he thought that plant was a true sport. Not sure how you would go about finding out what was what.

That is very beautiful, Chills. I would absolutely buy that clematis.

It still looks like that when it blooms, but each year (well, so far) it has also wilted back pretty badly after blooming (except this year, it was accidentally pruned back after bloom by my neighbor's daughter, its on the shared fence between us)

Question is, who would I contact to market it....maybe I should contact Plant Delights Nursery or Terra Nova. At the very least I should try rooting cuttings this spring.

~Chills

Try contacting Dan at Brushwood Nursery. He said he would be willing to help out with propagating Barbara Anne's Lace if the person who grew it ever contacted me (which by the way she hasn't). He is in Georgia right now where he is eventually going to be moving his business trying to set things up but am sure he checks his email frequently enough that he will see any email you might send him. Email him through the following email address if you would like to talk to him about it:

dan@gardenvines.com

Hey, Chills, did you contact a company about marketing your clematis? Were you successful taking cuttings last spring? I am wondering if it has/will bloom mottled again this spring?

Have you considered what to name it?

I got The President two fall ago and waiting for bloom this year. Wish mine would bloom like yours.

Bobbie