Clematis viorna

Clematis viorna is a wild species from the eastern USA and belongs to the Viorna Group, the so-called leather flowers. In the wild it grows along woodland edges and stream banks; it reached England as early as 1730. The 2 cm nodding flowers are bell- to urn-shaped and thick and fleshy, with tips that curve back. They appear in red with yellow; in the wild the colour ranges on the outside from lavender through violet-blue to red-purple, often tending to cream at the tips, with a pale green or yellow inside. Pale yellow anthers on white filaments add a delicate accent.

From June to August the flowers open on the current year's growth. At around 200 cm in height, Clematis viorna climbs up a trellis, an obelisk or through a shrub; its thin stems need dense support, such as a shrub or rose to climb through. It likes sunny to partially shaded positions in well-drained, evenly moist soil. Keep the base and root area cool and shaded, for example by underplanting or a layer of stones.

Clematis viorna is hardy (zone 7, down to about -18 °C). Cut it back to about 25 cm in March – as the flowers form on new wood, this spring pruning ensures vigorous regrowth and abundant flowering. Wear gloves when planting and cutting, as the plant can irritate the skin.