Solitary clematis

Questions about solitary clematis

Does solitary clematis need sun or shade?

Solitary clematis grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does solitary clematis grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 7. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Above zone 7 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does solitary clematis flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid June to early August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should solitary clematis be planted?

18 in (45 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 24 in (60 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many solitary clematis plants do I need?

At 18 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 5 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 7 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 17 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one at a time, threaded between sturdier plants.

In the bed above, the planner used two in two groups.

Is solitary clematis poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts cause burning and ulcers in the mouth, vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten, in people and pets. The sap can irritate skin.

Rated from NC State Extension and the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like solitary clematis?

These come closest to doing what solitary clematis does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Nepal cinquefoil 'Miss Willmott': the same job in a bed and the same flowering time; belongs at the front, not in the middle, 8 in shorter.
• Sea lavender: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers mid July to late August, lavender, not blue.
• Rose campion: the same job in a bed and the same flowering time; 6 in taller, pink or white, not blue.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat solitary clematis?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after solitary clematis?

Solitary clematis is over by early August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lilyturf: from early August to mid September, 16 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall.
• Hosta 'Guacamole': from early August to late August, 24 in tall.

What does solitary clematis look like in winter?

Solitary clematis dies down, but leave the stems standing: the seed heads stand through the winter, and songbirds eat the seed. Cut them down in early spring, before the new shoots come.

Is solitary clematis good for bees and butterflies?

Solitary clematis is visited by bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and songbirds.