Clematis 'Rooguchi'

Clematis 'Rooguchi' was bred in 1990 by Japanese breeder Kazushige Ozawa from a cross between Clematis integrifolia and Clematis reticulata. Its nodding, bell-shaped flowers reach about 4 cm across, are deep violet-blue with a silvery lighter margin and are made up of four heavily ribbed sepals with recurved tips; yellow stamens sit inside.

From July to September, 'Rooguchi' produces new flowers tirelessly on the current year's growth. At around 250 cm tall, it makes an excellent herbaceous climber for trellises, obelisks and fences, but it also happily leans against shrubs and perennials, as its stems don't cling on their own. It also thrives in a large container on a patio or balcony.

'Rooguchi' is reliably hardy (zone 5, down to about -28 °C) and easy to care for: cut it back to about 25 cm in March for vigorous new growth. Young and stressed plants tend towards powdery mildew — even watering and a shaded root run help prevent it effectively.