Clematis 'Pink Dwarf'

Clematis 'Pink Dwarf' is a selection from the wild species Clematis heracleifolia and belongs to the Heracleifolia Group, the shrubby herbaceous clematis with an upright, non-climbing habit. Its tiny, only about 1 cm flowers cluster densely in hyacinth-like sprays in the leaf axils: the four finely frilled, soft pink sepals curl back to reveal bright yellow stamens - a delicate contrast that makes the small flowers stand out despite their size.

From July to August, 'Pink Dwarf' produces its fragrant flower clusters and ranks among the most compact cultivars in its group: at just 30-50 cm tall, it stays noticeably lower than, say, 'Wyevale' or 'Eclipse', growing with stiff, self-supporting rather than climbing stems. This dainty stature makes it ideal for the front of a herbaceous border, for small gardens and narrow beds along paths, and for container growing on the patio or balcony. A sunny spot with well-drained soil encourages its strongest growth.

'Pink Dwarf' is reliably hardy (zone 6, to about -17.8°C) and survives normal winters in the border without special protection. As it flowers on the current year's growth, cut the plant back hard to about 10 cm above the ground in March - this encourages dense, floriferous new growth in spring.