Varieties of Clematis Vines

Types

• Downy clematis (Clematis macropetala) is a Siberian form of the vine that reaches 12 feet long. Clematis spooneri is a Chinese type of clematis that grows to 30 feet. The sweet autumn clematis (Clematis ternifolia) is native to Japan and it attains lengths of 30 feet. Woodbine (Clematis virginiana) is a native vine to the southeastern states, growing to 20 feet long. Hybrid forms of clematis include Clematis x durandii, a species that grows to 10 feet. Blue jasmine is another form of clematis, growing to 10 feet and native to the Southeast. Hybrid cultivars of clematis include varieties such as Betty Corning, Fireworks, Dutchess of Albany, Hagley Hybrid, Little Nell and Niobe.

Geography

• One aspect of clematis is that many of these vines display good cold hardiness. Downy clematis survives the winters of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3, due to its Siberian origins. Woodbine and the Eduoard Desfosse cultivar are cold tolerant to zone 3. Clematis suitable for USDA zone 4 includes cultivars like Will Goodwin, Princess Diana, Golden Cross, General Sikorski and Snow Queen. Sweet autumn clematis grows best from zones 5 through 9, while the blue jasmine variety needs warmer weather, from zone 6 through 9, to survive.

Flowers

• Most of the clematis vines come into bloom during the summer months. Sweet autumn clematis and woodbine generate drifts of white flowers, a trait also common to the Henryi, Fair Rosamond and Snow Queen cultivars. Pink is the color of clematis vine flowers like those of Hagley Hybrid, Comtesse de Bouchand and Nelly Moser. Purple flowers bloom on Ville de Lyon, Rouge Cardinal and Madame Julia Correvon. Will Goodwin, Ramona and Blue Light produce blue flowers.

Uses

• Use the smaller clematis vines to climb up and bring color to post-mounted mailbox. These smaller vines work well on trellises, posts, porches and fences. The clematis vines are not difficult to train onto walls or arbors. The longer vines are suitable ground cover. Allow them to sprawl along the ground. Cover up stumps and other unsightly parts of your landscape with clematis vines.