Clematis have a reputation for being difficult that rests almost entirely on one question: which of the three pruning groups is this? Group 1 is barely pruned, group 3 is cut to knee height every spring, and doing it the other way round is how people conclude they cannot grow clematis.
Get that settled and the rest is simple. They want their heads in the sun and their roots cool and moist, which in practice means a slab or a low plant over the root run and a bucket of water in a dry August.
Pruning group 1
Pruning group 1
Plant with the stem base 5 - 8cm below soil level to help recovery from clematis wilt, and water well through the first summer.
Part shadeWater: averageH5down to −15 °C3–6 m tall · 2–3 m wideIn a pot: yes
Flowering · UK
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Flowering · Northern Italy
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Flowering · Central Italy
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Flowering · Southern Italy and islands
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Care
Light
'Head in sun, roots in shade' applies across the genus; shade or mulch the root run.
Water
Standard border watering, more attentive while establishing.
Soil
Fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil that doesn't dry out in summer; add organic matter at planting and mulch to keep roots cool.
Pruning
No routine pruning needed — only tidy after flowering to remove dead or damaged growth and keep it within bounds. Cutting hard back removes next year's flowering wood.
Feeding
A balanced feed and a thick mulch over the root run as growth starts, then a high-potash feed straight after flowering while next year's wood is being made. Keep the mulch clear of the stem base, which rots easily.
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Propagation
Layering is the reliable home method for clematis: pin a healthy stem into a pot of compost sunk beside the plant, leaving the tip free, and leave it a full year before severing. Internodal cuttings work too but need warmth and patience.
Avoid heavy pruning in the first year to let the framework establish.
Part shadeWater: averageH6down to −20 °C2–3 m tall · 1–1.5 m wideIn a pot: yes
Flowering · UK
JFMAMJJASOND
Flowering · Northern Italy
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Flowering · Central Italy
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Flowering · Southern Italy and islands
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Care
Light
'Head in sun, roots in shade'.
Water
Standard border watering.
Soil
As pruning group 1.
Pruning
Prune lightly in February — remove dead and weak growth, cut the rest back to a strong pair of buds, keeping the flowering framework without losing the first flush.
Feeding
Feed as the buds swell in spring and again between the two flushes, using a high-potash fertiliser rather than a nitrogen-rich one — nitrogen on a large-flowered clematis buys leaf and stem, not flower.
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Propagation
Internodal softwood cuttings in late spring: cut mid-way between two leaf pairs rather than below a node, which is the detail that decides whether a clematis roots at all, and keep them humid and out of direct sun.
Forgives a hard first-year cutback better than groups 1 and 2.
Part shadeWater: averageH6down to −20 °C2.5–4 m tall · 1–1.5 m wideIn a pot: yes
Flowering · UK
JFMAMJJASOND
Flowering · Northern Italy
JFMAMJJASOND
Flowering · Central Italy
JFMAMJJASOND
Flowering · Southern Italy and islands
JFMAMJJASOND
Care
Light
Standard clematis siting.
Water
Standard border watering.
Soil
As above.
Pruning
Cut hard back to a healthy pair of buds around 20 - 30cm above ground in February — flowers form entirely on the current season's growth, the most forgiving group to prune.
Feeding
These rebuild themselves from the base every year and are correspondingly hungry: a balanced feed and a deep mulch at the spring cut-back, then a high-potash feed as the flower buds form.
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JFMAMJJASOND
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JFMAMJJASOND
Propagation
Internodal softwood cuttings taken from the new growth in late spring root well. Where a plant is already sprawling, layering a low stem into a sunken pot is even simpler and needs no equipment at all.
Clematis armandii5–8 m × 3 m · February–AprilFebruary–AprilJanuary–MarchJanuary–March · Pruning group 1
Clematis cirrhosa2.5–4 m × 1.5 m · November–FebruaryNovember–FebruaryNovember–JanuaryNovember–January · Pruning group 1
Clematis cirrhosa ‘Freckles’2.5–4 m × 1.5 m · November–FebruaryNovember–FebruaryNovember–JanuaryNovember–January · Pruning group 1
Clematis cirrhosa ‘Wisley Cream’2.5–4 m × 1.5 m · November–FebruaryNovember–FebruaryNovember–JanuaryNovember–January · Pruning group 1
Clematis alpina2–3 m × 1.5 m · March–MayMarch–MayFebruary–AprilFebruary–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis alpina ‘Frances Rivis’2–3 m × 1.5 m · March–MayMarch–MayFebruary–AprilFebruary–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis alpina ‘Pamela Jackman’2–2.5 m × 1.5 m · March–MayMarch–MayFebruary–AprilFebruary–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis macropetala2–3 m × 1.5 m · April–MayApril–MayMarch–AprilMarch–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis macropetala ‘Markham’s Pink'2–3 m × 1.5 m · April–MayApril–MayMarch–AprilMarch–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis macropetala ‘Blue Bird’2.5–3 m × 1.5 m · April–MayApril–MayMarch–AprilMarch–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis montana7–10 m × 3–5 m · April–MayApril–MayMarch–AprilMarch–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis montana ‘Elizabeth’7–10 m × 3–4 m · April–MayApril–MayMarch–AprilMarch–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis montana var. rubens7–10 m × 3–4 m · April–MayApril–MayMarch–AprilMarch–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis ‘Rosy O’Grady'2.5–3 m × 1.5 m · April–MayApril–MayMarch–AprilMarch–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis ‘White Columbine’2–2.5 m × 1.5 m · April–MayApril–MayMarch–AprilMarch–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis ‘Constance’2–2.5 m × 1.5 m · March–MayMarch–MayFebruary–AprilFebruary–April · Pruning group 1
Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’2.5–3 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Doctor Ruppel’2.5–3 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Bees’ Jubilee'2–2.5 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Barbara Jackman’2–2.5 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Marie Boisselot’3–4 m × 1.5 m · June–SeptemberJune–SeptemberMay–SeptemberMay–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘The President’2.5–3 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Niobe’2.5–3 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Miss Bateman’2–2.5 m × 1 m · May–JuneMay–JuneApril–MayApril–May · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Multi Blue’2–2.5 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Vyvyan Pennell’2.5–3 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘H.F. Young’2–2.5 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Elsa Späth’2–2.5 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Duchess of Edinburgh’2–2.5 m × 1 m · May–JuneMay–JuneApril–MayApril–May · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Belle of Woking’2–2.5 m × 1 m · May–JuneMay–JuneApril–MayApril–May · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Snow Queen’2.5–3 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Piilu’1.5–2 m × 1 m · May–June, August–SeptemberMay–June, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–SeptemberApril–May, August–September · Pruning group 2
Clematis ‘Perle d’Azur'3–4 m × 1.5 m · June–SeptemberJune–SeptemberMay–SeptemberMay–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Jackmanii’3–4 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’2.5–3 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Gipsy Queen’3–4 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Hagley Hybrid’2–2.5 m × 1 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Ville de Lyon’3 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Ernest Markham’3–4 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Étoile Violette’3–4 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’3–4 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Prince Charles’2–2.5 m × 1 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Madame Julia Correvon’3 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Rouge Cardinal’2.5–3 m × 1 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Princess Diana’2.5–3 m × 1 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Abundance’3–4 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis viticella3–4 m × 1.5 m · July–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–SeptemberJuly–September · Pruning group 3
Clematis tangutica4–6 m × 2–3 m · August–OctoberAugust–OctoberAugust–OctoberAugust–October · Pruning group 3
Clematis ‘Bill MacKenzie’5–7 m × 2–3 m · August–OctoberAugust–OctoberAugust–OctoberAugust–October · Pruning group 3
Questions
Clematis: is it hardy?
Pruning group 1: H5: Hardy in most of the UK, but can struggle in the coldest inland or upland spots. It survives down to −15 °C. Pruning group 2: H6: Hardy in the vast majority of UK gardens. It survives down to −20 °C. Pruning group 3: H6: Hardy in the vast majority of UK gardens. It survives down to −20 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
Pruning group 1: For a few seasons in a large pot, though most in this group are vigorous and prefer open ground long-term. Pruning group 2: Large deep pot, planted deep as above. Pruning group 3: The most container-friendly group, since hard annual pruning keeps size manageable.
Clematis: when do you prune it?
Pruning group 1: No routine pruning needed — only tidy after flowering to remove dead or damaged growth and keep it within bounds. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in May. Pruning group 2: Prune lightly in February — remove dead and weak growth, cut the rest back to a strong pair of buds, keeping the flowering framework without losing the first flush. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in February. Pruning group 3: Cut hard back to a healthy pair of buds around 20 - 30cm above ground in February — flowers form entirely on the current season's growth, the most forgiving group to prune. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in February.
Clematis: when does it flower?
Pruning group 1: In the climate of UK it flowers in March–May. Pruning group 2: In the climate of UK it flowers in May–June, August–September. Pruning group 3: In the climate of UK it flowers in July–September.
When do you feed it?
Pruning group 1: A balanced feed and a thick mulch over the root run as growth starts, then a high-potash feed straight after flowering while next year's wood is being made. Keep the mulch clear of the stem base, which rots easily. Feeding months, UK: March, June. Pruning group 2: Feed as the buds swell in spring and again between the two flushes, using a high-potash fertiliser rather than a nitrogen-rich one — nitrogen on a large-flowered clematis buys leaf and stem, not flower. Feeding months, UK: March, June. Pruning group 3: These rebuild themselves from the base every year and are correspondingly hungry: a balanced feed and a deep mulch at the spring cut-back, then a high-potash feed as the flower buds form. Feeding months, UK: March, June.