Clematis

[gardenlove]

I have just bought two Clematis roots. I have heard though that they will not grow the first year?? I had also bought a roots called Liatris spicata will these take a year to come up too??

[opabinia51]

I haven't started clematis from roots, they've always been established at my residences so, I'm sorry I can't help you there. Your other flower, I can't say that I've heard of.

Can anybody out there help?

[Jess]

Hi Megan

Did you buy these prepacked in dry peat in a plastic bag? At least I think it is peat they come with. I have never bought these but I have seen them for sale in the shops.
You should get growth on the clematis this year but no flowers. Occasionally you will get the odd one in the first year but it doesn't happen often. When planting a clematis make your planting hole extra rich. Clematis are hungry feeders and are going to stay in that hole for a lot of years and don't forget to plant LOWER than the top of the root ball. With a dry pack I would plant at least 2 inches lower.

The Liatris should grow and flower this year. Did you get purple or white? I bought the white form for my pots this year.
One tip with the Liatris. Do not plant out if you have voles in your garden. They will eat them!

[gardenlove]

WOW thanks so much yes I did buy the ones in the plastic bag dark purple and a light pick to climb my arbor I'm so excited!! do cut them back in the fall??? I got the purple Liatris it is sooo pretty. the bag I bought have 50 roots

[Jess]

WOW thanks so much yes I did buy the ones in the plastic bag dark purple and a light pick to climb my arbor I'm so excited!! do cut them back in the fall??? I got the purple Liatris it is sooo pretty. the bag I bought have 50 roots

Welcome!
You will need to give me the names of the clematis you bought. Clematis are divided into 3 groups and they are pruned depending on which group they belong to. Some are not pruned at all and some are pruned to the ground so it is important to know which you have.
50 Liatris!! That will keep you busy. We can compare results as I have not grown them before either. I have two large (very large) pots that I had shrubs in but they are that stupid bulbous shape that you can never get them out of so I thought I would try these instead.

[gardenlove]

okay one of the clematis has a name of Nelly Monster the other is venosa vioacea other than that there are no other names on it just telling you how to plant.

[MaineDesigner]

As much as I like the name 'Nelly Monster' that one is probably 'Nelly Moser'. It fades really quickly in full sun so AM sun, PM shade or dappled sun from not-too-dense, high canopy, trees would probably be best. The description commonly used for clematis is that, "they like their heads in the sun and their feet in the shade" but in the case of 'Nelly Moser' I'd opt for 1/2 to 2/3 sun. A space that is shaded from noon until 3:00PM would probably be ideal. Prune out the weak or broken canes each spring and cut the good canes back (from the growth tip - not up from the base) to the first pair large, healthy looking buds.


Your other clematis is usually labeled as C. viticella 'Venosa Violacea' but is a likely to be a hybrid with C. florida rather than the species. It should be cut back hard each year in early spring (probably March for you).

As Jess noted clematis are voracious feeders so amend the soil in the hole (make sure you provide plenty of calcium) and plan to fertilize every year. They also like quite a bit or water and bitterly resent drought-y conditions.

[Grey]

Wow. You know a lot about Clematis, MD!

I just had to comment on Liatris. I love, love, love this wildflower. Next time I find some I'm going to get fifty root tubers of it too - hardy and blooms beautifully.

[MaineDesigner]

Grey, Arrowhead Alpines offer a Liatris aff. liguilstylis/scariosa "Monarch strain" which they promote as being a magnet for Monarchs. Many butterflies seem to be especially attracted to Liatris but I can vouch for the exceptional allure of this plant. We've had over twenty Monarchs in the garden at one time mostly on or above these plants.

Would be kosher to start a thread about exceptional nurseries with which we have no economic affiliation? If so, are URLs permitted or not?

[Jess]

As much as I like the name 'Nelly Monster' that one is probably 'Nelly Moser'.

Thanks for answering MD. Our clocks went forward this weekend so had to go to bed an hour earlier, never saw the reply.

Gardenlove I think 'Nelly Monster' is a fabulous name! I will never look at one the same again!

Liatris are wild for you Grey?! Must look wonderful. Do you think they will look ok in pots? They are large pots and each has 5/6 in. I have no room for them in my garden.

[Grey]

Yes, put them in pots! They look great toward the back of a pot, I think one about 12" tall should look fairly balanced. Set something white, or yellow in front of them that grows a little lower and you should have a real showstopper.

[gardenlove]

oops yea I really wasn't paying attention with the "Nelly Monster"
okay so if I want another vine flower for an arbor what would you sugguest the place has full sun for most of the except in the morning?? I would like something maybe frangent or that attracts butterflys... I think I will be putting my butterfly bush on the other side of the arbor and it is a deep purple and I kinda what everything match

[MaineDesigner]

You might want to consider Lonicera x heckrotti 'Goldflame'. This hybrid has one parent that is native to North America and another from Europe. I have seen no evidence of invasive potential in New England or the Upper Midwest. It is somewhat susceptible to aphids and powdery mildew but neither is usually a serious problem. The blooms are pink & yellow, mildly fragrant and will attract hummingbirds.

If you want to go with a pure native there is Lonicera sempervirens which is probably one of the parents of 'Goldflame'. I have never been able to detect any fragrance from L. sempervirens but I have heard claims of fragrant examples.

For what it is worth Michael Dirr seems to think 'Goldflame' is a superior plant to the L. sempervirens cultivars.

As a cautionary note for any woody vine make sure your trellis is very robust. The shoddy, lightweight, trellises sold in most garden centers will disintegrate and replacing them behind a mature vine is a nightmare.

[JPlovesflowers]

I did not read all the way to bottom of the post, so you may have heard this already, but a friend of mine told me this rule several years ago and I hope it will help you. The rule on perennials is that the 1st year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap. She was referring to my clematis, as I was discouraged at their slow growth and she was absolutely right. The third year mine took off like gangbusters. Another friend of mine taught me that clematis like sun on their heads and shade on their feet. Hope this helps you.