'no-nothing' clematis newbie with question

18 years ago

I love clematis and finally got around to buying 2 plants. Both are healthy little plants with a couple of flowers each: one jackmanni, and the other is Dr. Ruppel.

I was told by a friend the clematis is "deciduous"...I take that to mean that the leaves fall from the stems, but the stems remain and grow new flowers each year.

But the Ruppel has instructons to "prune back hard in the spring" . Does that mean cut it back to the ground?

Thanks in advance to anyone who has time to advise me.

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Comments (6)

suzymac
18 years ago
No, do NOT prune back Dr. Rupple as the instructions said ! They are wrong, entirely. Dr. Rupple is a group 2, 'light or NO Prune' clematis ! I wish nurseries would learn more about what they sell !
Next spring wait for new growth and prune off only the top dead vines to just above where the new growth begins . I sometimes just let mine be for a few years before I start any pruning.
Dr. Rupple blooms on OLD WOOD , as most all group 2's do. (There are a few group 2's that can be treated as group 3's but this is not one of those)
I hope this helps.
Suzy
yvette_adams
Original Author
18 years ago
Suzy thank you so much for your response. It surely is annoying when the "experts" give wrong advise. It was to my advantage, and also good luck that I addressed the issue here. Also, I have learned something I didn't know before, about the groups of clematis, and will give me a reference point when learning. Is jackmanii also group 2?

Thanks again...very much appreciated!....Yvette
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suzymac
18 years ago
Yvette, Jackmani is a group 3, hard prune type, which blooms on new wood. This one needs pruning to the first or second leaf node at the end of winter. New shoots will emerge from the ground in the spring which will produce flowers.
Your Dr. Rupple (group 2)is different, in that it blooms on old wood.
Good luck !
Suzy
yvette_adams
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks again Suzy. So nice of you to take the time. As with any new project, there is always far more to learn than one realizes. You'll probably see me back here with more questions.Happy gardening. Yvette
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
18 years ago
Once again it should be pointed out that there are NO hard and fast rules for pruning clematis. Pruning is never a requirement but an optional process dependent on the requirements and aesthetics of the grower. Pruning back a group 2 (or B) clematis hard in the early spring is not the disaster alluded to - in fact, it is typically recommended ALL newly planted (within two seasons) vines be pruned hard initially to develop stronger roots and encourage more vining stems. Hard pruning with a group 2 only limits early flowering - later season growth will be strong and floriferous.
alinehuey
18 years ago
I am new to the clematis growing also.I have about seven that I bought at the end of season and can't keep track of how to prune.
Is there some way to know after a year or two how I should prune.
I think I will take gardengal's advise though and prune the newest ones hard next spring to get bushier growth.
I have them several places in my gardens and combined some of different blooming times.

'no-nothing' clematis newbie with question

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suzymac

yvette_adams
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'no-nothing' clematis newbie with question

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suzymac

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