Clematis rehderiana
Among its rich green dark foliage, Clematis rehderiana bears branched clusters (panicles) of tubular yellow flowers that smother the plant for many weeks. This clematis is a great late-flowering climber that reaches its peak through high summer and keeps on flowering until early autumn.
At RHS Garden Hyde Hall we grow this clematis in the Robinson Garden where we use its sprawling stems and vigorous growth to soften the appearence of a retaining wall. The wall is north facing and this clematis tolerates these tough growing conditions provided there is adequate moisture in the soil.
Vital statistics
- Common name
- Nodding virgin’s bower
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Height & spread
- 7m (23ft) x 3m (10ft)
- Form
- Deciduous climber
- Soil
- Well-drained fertile soil
- Aspect
- Full sun, shaded roots
- Hardiness
- Hardy throughout the British Isles
Clematis
There are around 300 species of evergreen or deciduous Clematis and many more cultivars currently available. The related group (genus) is diverse, ranging from short-growing herbaceous perennials, climbing or trailing shrubs, and climbers reaching 10-15m (30-50ft) in height. Climbing species attach to host plants or supporting structures by use of their leaf stalks.
Clematis originate from the northern and southern hemispheres including Europe, China, Australasia, North America and Central America. They have been long cultivated in Japan, and non-native species have been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century.
The name is derived from the Greek 'klematis', a name used to refer to several climbing plants.
Clematis rehderiana
C. rehderiana is a large deciduous climber with mature mauve-brown stems and velvety, bell-shaped pale yellow flowers from midsummer to autumn. The petals are 2cm (1in) in length, with backward-pointing tips and a sweet scent.
This species is named after Alfred Rehder, an American expert in woody plants (dendrologist) with a German background. He worked at the Arnold Arboretum in Massachusetts for 42 years until he retired at the age of 76.
Cultivation
- Grow in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil in sun or partial shade, with the roots and base of the plant in shade. This species is especially suited to chalky soils.
- Clematis pruning group 3: prune back hard in late winter or early spring to the lowest pair of new buds.
- Young shoots are susceptible to damage from aphids and caterpillars. Earwigs nibble the petals.
- May suffer from clematis slime flux.
- Use climbing species to clothe a wall, arbour, trellis or pergola. They can also be grown over large shrubs or small trees.
Propagation
- All clematis species can be successfully propagated from seed, which should be sown soon after harvesting to ensure good germination.
- Cultivars should be reproduced from layering, semi-hardwood cuttings or possibly from grafting.
AGM
The RHS Woody Plant Committee awarded Clematis rehderiana an Award of Garden Merit and described it as follows:
'Large deciduous climber with leaves pinnately divided into serrate, oval leaflets. Flowers in large panicles, 2cm long, bell-shaped, pale yellow and sweetly scented. Good silky seed-heads.'