Pruning Clematis

 There is no “one way serves all” method to prune Clematis. The technique you use will all depend on which variety (species) of plant you are pruning. Hence, it is important to know which one you are planting. 

GROUP 1

 Bloom time : These flower in spring, on growth from the previous year. Prune right after they finish blooming - but only if really needed.The new stems that grow will then have enough time to make flower buds for the following year.The best thing to remember is that ALL the new shoots that appear after pruning are the ones that will bear flowers the following season.Species: C. barbellata, C. cirrhosa, C. koreana, C. pruinina.

Clematis cirrhosa

GROUP 1 SLOW GROWING VARIETIES

 Very little pruning is necessary for any of these slow-growing varieties. Prune only to remove dead wood or to thin.Older portions of the stems are often reluctant to re sprout after being cut back heavily. Avoid cutting these plants back into very old wood, keeping in mind that the plant will get somewhat larger each year.Species: C. alpina, C. armandii, C. x cartmanii, C. chrysocoma, C. cirrhosa, C. gracilifolia, C. indivisa, C. koreana, C. macropetala, C. montana, C. barbellata, C. pruinina, C. vedrariensis.

Clematis alpina

GROUP 2

 Bloom time: These vines bloom in late spring or early summer, and all have very large showy flowers. If deadheaded, they will re bloom again in mid summer to fall.They bloom off new shoots from old stems. The more shoots you get, the more blooms. They benefit from continuous pruning.Species: C. florida and cvs., Large-flowered hybrid cultivars, such as: ‘Bees’ Jubilee’ , ‘Elsa Späth’, ‘General Sikorski’, ‘Henryi’, ‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Niobe’, ‘The President’, ‘Will Goodwin’, 'Vyvyan Pennell’, C. patens.

Clematis nelly moser

 A few approaches are effective when pruning this group. APPROACH 1Lightly thin out and disentangle stems before growth begins in early spring, and then go over the plant again after the earliest flowers fade, severely shortening the stems that bore those flowers.APPROACH 2A simpler option is to severely prune the plant back by half in alternate years. This I have used in many gardens – always love the results.APPROACH 3Another simpler approach is to cut the whole plant back drastically every few years just before growth begins, with little or no pruning in the intervening time. Here you give up only the earliest blossoms in the one season you prune. 

GROUP 3

 Bloom time: This group flowers in late summer or in fall, on new growth produced earlier in the season.LARGE FLOWERING CULTIVARSSpecies: Large-flowered hybrid cultivars, such as: ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ , ‘Ernest Markham’, ‘Gipsy Queen’, ‘Jackmanii’, ‘Lady Betty Balfour’, ‘Perle d’Azur’, ‘Ville de Lyon’.

Comtesse de Bouchaud

 These are the easiest vines to prune. Just before the season’s growth begins, or as it is beginning, lop all stems back to strong buds within a foot or so of the ground. Done. LATE FLOWERINGThere is no need to cut a late-blooming clematis back severely if you are going to let it ramble up into a tree or fence where you want its blossoms held high.Species: Clematis.C. X durandii, C. heracleifolia and cvs., C. integrifolia and cvs., C. orientalis and cvs. , C. recta and cvs., C. tangutica and cvs., C. terniflora - autumn clematis, C. texensis and cvs., C. viticella and cvs.

So there you have it – an amazingly complex approach to pruning clematis – made easy (maybe) !

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   Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK