Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants
Climber Wall Shrub

Clematis 'Barbara Dibley' (EL)

clematis 'Barbara Dibley'

A medium-sized, deciduous twining climber with mid green leaves and an abundance of mauve flowers with darker purple bar to 15cm in width and reddish anthers. Flowers appear from late spring to early summer and then again in late summer.

Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
1.5–2.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Purple Green
Summer Purple Green
Autumn Purple Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Ranunculaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Climbing, Trailing
Potentially harmful
Skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus

Clematis can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or herbaceous perennials, mostly climbing by twining leaf-stalks, and often with showy flowers. Some have attractive fluffy seedheads in autumn

Name status

Accepted

Horticultural Group
Early Large-flowered clematis have large star-shaped flowers in early summer, often with a second flowering in late summer

How to grow

Cultivation

Plant in a moisture-retentive, well-drained soil, with the roots and base of the plant kept cool and shaded by other plants or a layer of pebbles at the base. Plant with the crown 5-8cm (2-3in) deep to encourage new shoots to grow from below ground level. Can be grown in containers at least 45cm (18in) deep and wide in a soil based potting compost. See clematis cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by layering or semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Banks and slopes
  • Climber and wall shrubs
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

Pruning (clematis) group 2

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and caterpillars; petals can be eaten by earwigs

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), clematis wilt and clematis slime flux

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.