Plant Profile: Clematis napaulensis

Botanical Name: Clematis napaulensis

Family: Ranunculaceae

Type: Evergreen climber

Size: Around 4m by 4m

There aren't too many ways to spice up your dreary winter garden, but this striking climber, with its delicate flowers, is a sure fire way to add some beauty to your garden.

With pendulous, creamy blooms, and eye-catching purple stamens, this evergreen climber is one of the few plants to bloom in winter. Blooming begins in late autumn through to early to mid-winter.

Its flowers are clustered in heavy groups and range in colour from a greenish white to cream or pale yellow. Soon after flowering, loose, fluffy seed heads form and are dispersed fairly quickly.

The clematis is native to the northwest of India and southwest China.

Ideal Conditions:

Clematis napaulensis grows best in moist, humus-enriched soil.

Whilst its flowers can be damaged by frosts, the climber can grow in temperatures below freezing. Clematis have been known to grow in temperatures reaching -5C and lower.

However, for successful winter blooming, the climber needs to receive a good amount of sun during the summer months.

Growing:

Generally Clematis napaulensis is a low maintenance plant, requiring little extra attention. It may need some watering during the summer months, and older plants may require a little pruning to keep their shape.

The climber can be grown from seeds or cuttings, although seeds are quite hard to get hold of, and generally take quite some time to grow.

Reproduced with permission from NZOOM Home and Garden content, from the previous website of  The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH   HOME AND GARDEN   Top of page

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