Clematis 'Romantika'

Clematis 'Romantika' is one of the finest creations of Estonian breeder Uno Kivistik, who introduced it in 1983. Its flowers, up to 10–12 cm across, rank among the darkest of all clematis: freshly opened, the tepals glow in a deep, near-black violet with a velvety sheen. The usually six — sometimes four or five — tepals frame pale yellow stamens that provide a delicate contrast to the dark petals. As the flowers age, a dark red central bar appears on each tepal, so the display evolves fascinatingly over weeks.

From July to September 'Romantika' blooms reliably on the current year's growth, reaching a height of around 300 cm. It looks most impressive against a light background — pale-needled conifers or open-canopied deciduous shrubs that allow its extraordinary colour to shine through. Trellises, lattices and obelisks all work well as support; with gentle guidance 'Romantika' will also weave through medium-sized to large shrubs. Container growing is possible too, provided a sufficiently large support is available.

'Romantika' is exceptionally frost-hardy (zone 5, down to –28.8 °C), making it an excellent choice for gardens in Central Europe. Cut the plant back hard to about 25 cm in March — the classic hard pruning of the Jackmanii group, which encourages strong new growth and generous flowering. As 'Romantika' is slightly susceptible to powdery mildew, choose a site with good air circulation and avoid letting the root zone dry out.