Clematis 'Empress'

Clematis 'Empress' was bred in 2001 by the British breeders Raymond Evison and M. N. Olesen and introduced in 2004 as part of the Evison/Poulsen 'Regal' collection. It is a sport of 'Evijohill' ('Josephine') and bears large, double flowers 12 to 15 cm across: the outer petals show a soft pink with striking darker pink stripes, while the narrower inner petals form a dense, pompom-like centre.

'Empress' flowers twice a year: first from May to June, then, after a short pause, again from August to September. Growing 150 to 200 cm tall, it is ideal for trellises, obelisks and climbing frames, but also compact enough for a sufficiently large container on a patio or balcony. It prefers a sunny to partly shaded position with a cool, shaded root run.

The variety is reliably hardy (zone 5, -28.8 to -23.4 °C) and belongs to pruning group 2: after the first flush in June, 'Empress' is cut back to around 100 cm, which encourages vigorous new growth and the abundant second flowering. With this regular care, the plant develops into a lush, reliably perennial bloomer.