General Information (Medium Clematis Hybrids)

Hybrids with flower diameters of about 10 cm are regarded here as a separate clematis group-- the 'middle-sized clematis.' Their flowers are often just as beautiful as those of the large-flowered hybrids, and the flowering lasts longer. According to the rule of thumb "the smaller the flower, the more robust the plant," these clematis hybrids are also less susceptible to disease and less maintenance-intensive, and therefore often better suited as facade plants. In this sense, they are a bridge to the clematis viticella group. Please note that while some of these clematis only need a small trellis, some can grow over 4 metres high. For available varieties / prices, see the overview.

Clematis "Etoile Violette" on a wall, cable system from FassadenGrün
Clematis "Etoile Violette" on a wall, cable system from FassadenGrün

To thrive...

These clematis thrive in partial shade, so avoid hot southeast or west facing walls. They require humus-rich, fresh, well-draining soil with no standing water, as sheltered from the wind as possible. The trunk base must be in shade. Plant them 1 - 2.5 m apart and position the root ball 10 cm below ground level. Use a 12 litre pot if you are potting the plant. Available varieties can be found in the overview.

Characteristics and Pruning

These frost-resistant clematis are perennial stem tendril twiners (petiole climbers). They grow with moderate vigour, with foliage from May - October, up to about 5 m in height and often just as wide. Flowering can be prolonged when the faded flowers are cut to prevent the development of seeds; the clematis will respond by opening new flower buds. The seeds are beautiful in autumn, but the withered leaves don't detach by themselves... for this reason, it is best to make the main cut at the end of the year (in autumn). Cut the stems down to approx. 20 - 60 cm above the ground (prune according to "pruning group 3"). The medium-flowering hybrids are less susceptible to mildew than those with larger flowers. The varieties that carry a lot of the viticella heritage are healthiest.

Climbing Aids for the Facade

For these clematis, choose a tightly arranged (closely-meshed) pattern with 25 - 35 cm grid spacing, with vertical axes dominating so that you've got standing rectangles rather than squares. See the bottom of the page for a table with suitable designs. Our wire rope trellis 5050 with steel rods is a good choice. Easy systems ("Basic" and "Basic-S"), as well as "Mini" or Light can be used, but Medium systems allow optimal development of the plants, especially if mildew or clematis wilt are an issue. Our Heavy/ Massive versions provide more wall distance and so give the plant more space, helping to prevent clematis wilt and mildew.

 

Cable Systems?

Click on the image to see which cable trellis forms are compatible with medium-sized clematis.

Suitable wire rope trellises for medium-sized clematis hybrids

Please click on the graphic illustrations for details!

  = suitable            = of limited suitability            = unsuitable