I have been searching the web trying to identify a wild clematis in my yard and came across this thread. A thread that has been going for eight years. Tonight I have learned that there are several similar species and some are known by several names. Clematis terniflora has at least two synonyms:Clematis maximowicziana and Clematis paniculata. And at least three common names: Sweet Autumn Clematis, Sweet Autumn Virgin's Bower, Japanese Clematis. It is a native of Japan and in some areas is an invasive weed. In other areas it is loved like most on this thread love it. There several similar species called Sweet Autumn and virgin's bower. But, vary in number of leaflets water and light requirements. Some have no odor, some have complete flowers and some male and female flowers are on different plants. In western US the native Clematis ligusticifolia is very similar. Same rambunctious growth habit and similar scent. There are at least three cultivors of this species. One of them is naturalized here in Missouri. I am now searching to determine which I have.

Sue, if you want to add that info to your profile so that it shows automatically by your name, here's how: Go to Your Houzz in the upper right of every page, click Edit Profile, and on the left side click advanced settings. Well down the advanced settings page is a blank labeled Climate Zone for Garden Forums along with a link to find your zone. If you add info on your state or the nearest large city you will get even better information since zone only relates to average coldest winter temperatures. Then return to the top of the page and click Done Editing.

Sweet Autumn, not as spectacular a photo this season. I found a New way to use my pesky Maple tree this season. My Huldine(spelling) clematis is blooming now. I know it's a late bloomer but it was added this spring, not sure if this is too late for it. SA dies back to the ground here, I do find a new seedling every year but I do remove them, I have three of these in my garden and they do smell good. SherrySherry

The pruning guidelines revolve around flowering time. If you know when exactly your vine blooms, you can make informed assumptions about how to prune without even being able to identify the species or cultivar!! Type 1's are the no prune or prune immediately after flowering vines. These are very early flowering vines (typically late winter to early spring) that flower on old growth and are almost always species clematis. Type 2's are light pruning vines. This category includes nearly all of the large flowered hybrids, with bloom times from mid spring through late summer. These vines tend to bloom on both old and new growth, which is why many will have a later but lighter repeat flowering. Type 3's are late flowering vines, blooming from midsummer into fall. These bloom on growth produced the current season and are very often quite large vines when mature. They can (and usually should) be hard pruned as Bab's described. I tend to simplify pruning by limiting it to those I prune hard and those I don't prune at all. So all type 1's get NO pruning unless they simply outgrow their space (then prune immediately after the flowering) and ALL others get hard pruned at some point during the winter months, as new growth begin early in my area. If you don't get around to pruning in a very timely manner (weather, etc.), do not be afraid to do so later than what is advised :-) When I had my big garden with scores of different clems, I sometimes missed pruning all when I should and often cut back vines with a lot of new growth showing, sometimes even with tiny flower buds present. If the plant is not dormant, pruning will actually stimulate new growth and the vine will respond by pushing a lot of new growth and buds. It may just bloom slightly later than typical. FWIW, commercial growers prune their vines back repeatedly during the growing season just for ease of care (reduces tangling, etc.) and the vines (2's and 3's) will still produce flowers.