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nckvilledudes

A Comprehensive Guide to Clematis

nckvilledudes
18 years ago

This book by John Howells was originally published in 1989 and I just recently got a copy of it from Half.com. In the book, Howell relates some information about the history of clematis that I found interesting. From 1860 to 1890, there were more clematis hybridized and introduced into the gardening world than at any other time (don't know if that is still the case or not today). Over 200 cultivars of the large flowering hybrids were introduced during this time period and the large flowering hybrids were the most popular type of clematis. There were many of the smaller flowering varieties introduced, but due to the popularity of the LFH, these varieties didn't catch on and were lost from production and are no longer in existence. It was the trend during this period to name the new introductions after the members of the royal family and aristocracy. The popularity of clematis as a whole waned at the start of the 1900s and new hybridization programs didn't really pick up until the 1950s.

One thing that Howells talks about and provides information on that is in conflict with other similar advice concerns where to plant a clematis if you want it to grow up a tree. I am not sure if this advice is what Howell now believes since it is direct conflict with the advice of others who have published since 1989, but here is what he recommends in the book:

"The usual recommendation is to plant the clematis on the outer extremmity of the host tree and lead it to the outer branches on a long cane or rope. This method is visually unattractive and means you must forever watch out for a slender stem when working in the garden. The position is also where the feeding roots of the tree are located and the carefully prepared site for the clematis will be just an hors d' oeuvre for the tree. Although the soil is drier at the base of the trunk, there are no feeding roots here, and it is easier to take a cane straight up the trunk."

I think I will stick with planting them further away and leading the clematis into the tree or shrub with a garden stake!

Another thing Howells talks about is an alternate method of propagating clematis. It is not probably going to be something that most of us would try since we don't have access to seedlings of clematis vitalba (it is considered an invasive plant by some states here in the US). The method is grafting of a stem of the chosen clematis onto a seedling of a vitalba seedling. Here is his description:

"Choose a seedling of C. vitalba, about 3/16 in thick, cut across the top just below the cotyledons;using a sharp knife, cut a thin sliver, about 1 in. long, from one side and an equivalent sliver from the chosen scion consisting of one leaf complete with dormant bud. Fit the the cut surfaces together, matching the cambium layers, and bind with raffia. Put the grafted plant in a small pot of potting compost, burying the union, and place it in a closed frame for four weeks, after which it can be gradually hardened off. The best time to do this in in the early spring. An expert will be successful with 100 percent of the grafts."

Sound interesting but like I said, who has access to vitalba seedlings! Interesting however!

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