Clematis 'Orange Peel'

Clematis tangutica 'Orange Peel' traces back to a wild-collected form from the high plateaus of Tibet, botanically more precisely listed as Clematis tibetana subsp. vernayi and recorded under the collector's number LS&E 13342 (Ludlow & Sherriff) — though in the trade the simpler name as a Tangutica Group cultivar has become established. The flowers hang nodding and bell-shaped from the shoots, golden yellow with four thick, almost leathery-spongy tepals that turn an intense orange over time and on cooler nights — which may well be what gave the cultivar its name 'Orange Peel'. Inside the flower sit purplish-brown stamens, forming an attractive contrast to the yellow-orange of the tepals.

'Orange Peel' flowers from August to October, making it one of the late-blooming autumn highlights of the genus. Reaching around 300 cm in height, it is well suited to trellises, fences, pergolas or growing through lower shrubs; like most members of the Tangutica Group it is easy to care for and copes well with sunny, drier sites. A sheltered spot with well-drained, sufficiently moist soil is important — it's best to keep the roots and base of the plant cool and shaded, for example with low underplanting or a layer of mulch.

The cultivar is reliably hardy (zone 5, down to around -23 °C) and copes well even with harsh winters. Pruning is done in March, cutting back to about 25 cm above the ground, as is usual for all pruning group 3 cultivars — this encourages vigorous new growth in spring and abundant flowers again in late summer. After flowering, silky, silvery seed heads also decorate the vines well into winter, a typical feature of the whole Tangutica Group.