Clematis 'Cyanea'

Clematis alpina 'Cyanea' was raised around 1950 by the Swedish breeder Magnus Johnson and introduced under this name in 1960; the variety later became known as 'Blue Tapers'. It is thought to be a hybrid of Clematis alpina and Clematis macropetala, although the exact parentage is not fully confirmed. The nodding, bell-shaped flowers appear in a blue-violet shade with a diameter of 5–6 cm, and the four narrow sepals reveal whitish stamens inside – an attractive contrast typical of the Atragene group.

'Cyanea' flowers from April to May, making it one of the earliest climbers of the gardening year. At around 200 cm tall, it suits trellises, obelisks and other climbing supports as well as container growing, and thrives in any aspect. As alpine clematis flower on the previous year's wood, full flowering usually appears only after one to two established years.

'Cyanea' is very hardy (zone 5, -28.8 to -23.4 °C) and grows without fuss. For a compact, bushy habit, cut the plant back to about 100 cm in June. This keeps the robust alpine clematis low-maintenance and ensures reliable early-spring flowering year after year.