Clematis vitalba

Clematis vitalba, known in German as Gewöhnliche Waldrebe, is a wild species native to Europe, ranging from Britain in the west to Turkey, Iran and North Africa. Its botanical name combines the Latin words for vine and white, referring to its pale flowers and the later silky-white seed heads. The flowers are creamy white to white, borne in rich clusters, and show four narrow, recurved tepals with pale stamens; their delicate, almond-like scent is a distinctive feature of this wild species.

'vitalba' opens its many small flowers from July to August. At around 500 cm tall, it is one of the most vigorous climbers in the range and is excellent for edging ponds, where it grows in a creeping habit, as well as for training on larger structures or covering walls. As a robust botanical species, it thrives wherever there is plenty of room to climb.

'vitalba' is very winter-hardy (zone 4, -34.4 to -28.9 °C) and needs virtually no maintenance. Cut the plant back to about 25 cm in March; it then reshoots quickly and abundantly from its strong rootstock. We supply it in a 2-litre pot with strong shoots; thanks to its robust growth it establishes quickly in its new spot.