Clematis macropetala
Clematis macropetala was first introduced from China early
this century. It is similar to Clematis alpina, which is from Europe, but with a fuller
flower.
The typical colour is blue, but there are now forms of white and pink available, although the pink tends towards a shade of mauve.
In Great Britain, C. macropetala grows to between 2.5 and 3 metres. The
first flowering period is April to May, but usually a second flowering occurs in July. In
the USA and Canada, C. macropetala is said to be hardy in zones 3 - 9.
From my experience it grows just as well out of direct sunlight as in it.
It is also a very suitable clematis for growing in pots. I suggest using a centre pole
of up to 1 metre, and training the plant to cascade down from the top of this pole. A
hanging basket, secured upside down on top of the pole, is ideal for this method of
training. The diagram to the right demonstrates this structure, and the photo above shows
the results.
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