Clematis 'Akaishi'

The clematis 'Akaishi' was introduced in 1996 by Japanese breeder Sakata no Tane as part of its so-called Mountain Series, and takes its name from Akaishi-dake, a peak between the Shizuoka and Nagano prefectures - some interpret it as 'red stone'. The large, 15-20 cm wide flowers appear violet-blue with a strikingly red-toned central bar across the eight slightly wavy, elliptical sepals, plus silvery-purple to red stamens; the width of the bar can vary depending on site and weather.

Growing 200-300 cm tall, 'Akaishi' is well suited to trellises, arbours and obelisks on fences and pergolas. The first flush appears in May and June, with a second flowering following in September. Choose a bright position without harsh midday sun - in hot, full-sun spots the flowers fade and wilt quickly.

'Akaishi' is reliably hardy (zone 6, down to around -23 °C). As the flowers form mainly on last year's wood, prune only lightly to about 100 cm after the first flush in June.