Delightfully scented, Clematis montana 'Rubens' is a very large deciduous climber with charming, single, pastel pink flowers that deepen to rosey pink over time, 2 in. across (5 cm), from late spring to early summer. The blossoms are so profuse that they generally cover the foliage, which emerges burgundy and matures to bronze-green. Their sweet vanilla fragrance fills the air as you pass by. Even after flowering is over, this vine remains attractive, thanks to the seedheads left by the passing flowers, therefore providing winter interest. This vigorous and extremely floriferous vine is perfect for covering a wall, trellis, fence, arbor and makes an interesting groundcover.
- Thrives in moist, well-drained soils, in full sun or part shade. Ideally, Clematis prefer having their 'heads in the sun and their feet in the shade'. Keep the roots cool and shaded by other plants or add a layer of pebbles or flat stones at the base. Afternoon shade is appreciated in hot climate areas.
- This clematis is more resistant to clematis wilt and ignored by pests.
- Quickly grows up to 20-40 feet long (6-12 m) and spreads 6-15 ft. (2-5 m).
- This Clematis belongs to the first group of Clematis - a group including Early-flowering clematis which flower on shoots produced in the previous summer: No regular pruning required. Just clean them up after flowering.
- Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.
As climbers, Clematis are unsurpassed in their long flowering presence, their rich diversity of flower shapes, their wide array of colors and tolerances in terms of exposure and climate. It is no wonder they are so popular! From tree huggers to container varieties, there is a Clematis for every garden and flowers for almost every month of the year! Members of the Ranunculaceae family, they include more than 300 species and hundreds of hybrids. They create year after year a ravishing colorful show in the garden whether solely trained on walls, arbors or trellises, or grown in association with other climbers. They are divided into 3 groups which determine how they should be pruned. Regular pruning of Clematis is important as it promotes strong growth and flowering as well as a harmonious plant. If left unpruned, Clematis can turn into a mass of tangled stems with a bare base and flowers well above eye level.