Clematis 'Abundance'

Clematis viticella 'Abundance' traces back to a selection by French breeder Francisque Morel made before 1914 and introduced in England by the nursery George Jackman & Son. Its 5–6 cm, open bell-shaped flowers appear in a rich violet, with four to five lightly textured, wavy-edged sepals and yellow anthers set on creamy-green filaments. The cultivar owes its name to the sheer abundance of blooms with which it covers its support.

From July to September, 'Abundance' flowers profusely and reliably on the current season's growth. At around 300 cm, it is ideally suited to trellises, lattices and obelisks, and makes an especially good climbing partner for roses and other shrubs. It thrives in sunny to semi-shaded positions and is undemanding about aspect — however, due to its vigorous growth it is less suited to container culture.

Its winter hardiness is excellent at zone 5 (-28.8 to -23.4 °C), making 'Abundance' one of the toughest and most low-maintenance cultivars in the Viticella Group — ideal for beginners too. Cut the plant back hard to about 25 cm in March (pruning group 3): it reliably resprouts and rewards you with an even richer flowering. In recognition of its garden merit, 'Abundance' has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.