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Gardening in New Zealand

Propagating deciduous clematis.

22 years ago

I have a lovely dark purple clematis that I would like to see intertwined with my climbing Westerland rose, but have no idea how to propagate the thing. I've tried taking cuttings and potting them up, but they just turn up their little toes on me and expire. Has anyone had any experience with this?

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Comments (8)

terry_lister
22 years ago
Hi mutzi,Having being disappionted many times trying to propergate clematis. The tried and true method for me is to layer them.The big purple I have is HONARA absolutly magnificent.After flowering I wrap the vines next to the root system around the pot and cover all the nodes with soil.Last year it was quite successful.There are a lot of people who know a lot more than i do about clematis.But i love it when I have a wee bit of success Cheers Terry
mutzi
Original Author
22 years ago
Thanks, Terry, I'll try that when the flowers die off. Beats me why I didn't think of it myself. Duh!!
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Can I propagate my Clematis?
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Cuttings are very difficult to do, so I would suggest 'layering' the vine. This is done by burying a portion of a 'live' vine by placing a piece of the vine in a pot of soil. I dig a hole for the pot, next to the mother and put soil in to about the halfway mark. I bury a portion of living vine by 3-4" in the pot, cover and pat it well with more soil and water it well. You must make sure to bury a section that has leaves. In about 4-6 months, you can cut the main plant away and you will have a new plant. It helps to lift the pot out of the hole to see if you see roots coming out of the bottom of the pot. This is when it's wise to cut the mother vine away. Suzy
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It's much easier to 'layer a vine'. To do this, you dig a hole next to the mother plant and place a 1/2 gallon pot in the hole. Fill the pot 1/2 way up with soil and lay a piece of the mid-section of live vine into the pot, being careful NOT to snap it. Bury this vine midsection with the rest of the soil to fill the pot and then water it well weekly. I do this in the spring-time when the vines are more pliable and there is ample time before winter to complete the job. In about 4-6 months carefully check for roots by gently digging out the pot and then peek at the underside for roots. If you see roots it is time to cut the mother plant away. If not, leave it be for another month or two and then check it again. Do this until it's ready. This works very well with a small amount of effort and you'll get a nice 'clone' of the mother plant. Suzy
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I don't know about Akebia, but it is pretty easy on the clematis. In fact, my clematis rooted itself the first time I purchased it. It kept flopping onto the ground and before I knew it, the little plant had rooted itself on the ground where it kept flopping down. So what I would do with the clematis is to get a part of the stem onto the ground and cover it with soil and somehow keep this part down with a brick or a small rock. It will eventually root itself. You don't even need any hormones.
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Deciduous
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Comments (4)
I would probably leave them for several years (4-5 minimum) before making that decision. Clematis only start looking good in 2 or 3 years IME and then get fuller and more floriferous after that. If they are happy, they will fill in well, and IME the honeysuckle (I'm guessing you have a cultivar of Lonicera sempervirens, a native) will expand quite a bit and may crawl over to the top of the clematis trellises. If you add some perennials in front of the clematis that will fill in for the lower leaves that sometimes drop off type 2 clematis such as Ramona, I think you will be pleased with the overall result. If you haven't ever hard pruned Ramona, you can do that this winter. You will delay the flowering, but it should fill in more due to the pruning encouraging additional branching. You could instead get one of the type 3 clematis since they often hold on to leaves better IME. I honestly can't think of another vine that will do what you want here without being a pain to control. You want to avoid things like trumpet vine and wisteria which are both too large and tend to send up suckers and/or seed around vigorously. Both climbing hydrangea and dutchman's pipe vine are also much too large (20-40') for your garden. I don't think you have the space for grapes or hardy kiwis either though you could consider training a kiwi along the chain link behind the trellises if it's yours or you can get permission from your neighbor. Annual vines will take a while to fill in each year, longer than the clematis will.
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yvonnej
22 years ago
Mutzi, Terrys solution sounds good to me but if that doesnt work it might be easier to strike a cutting off Westerland and have the rose grow through the clematis. Best of luck
mutzi
Original Author
22 years ago
that would normally be a good suggestion, yvonne, but the clematis is already growing thru' American Pillar, (I think) Looks great when they are both in full flower and that was what set me thinking to match it with others. Took a clematis flower for a walk around the garden, and showed it to all the other roses that I thought it would live happily beside. Westerland was the next best bet, but it looks best of all beside American Pillar.
Desi_R
20 years ago
Hi!

This is a few years after you posted your suggestion and I was wondering if you were successful?

I also have a Westerland climbing rose and wanted to mix dark purple clemantis with it also.

Great minds think alike!

If you have any tips, I'd be very greatful.

Regards,

Desi.
coleensa
20 years ago
I have a beautiful climbing rose that I would like to
propatate. I tried taking cuttings this summer but had no
luck. Maybe someone could suggest something. Thanks
kiwirose
20 years ago
Hi Coleensa,

You should try the Rose Forums..particularly the propagation forum. There is lots of help there!

Judy
uschi
20 years ago
clematis are cut from just barely (not anymore) green shoots, not more than one leaf junction, leave the stem underneath, trim leaves to halves, stick into pot. Cover with platic tent should root in about 2 weeks,keep out of direct sun, needs enough moisture, but not soggy. But I take my vines down, make an indentation in the earth around the vine cover with earth, then mulch, z4, in the spring many have rooted, good to enlarge plant or use for trading Ursula from Ontario. alkuncy @ nexusisp . com

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