The longest lasting Clematis bloom?

[Susanq]

That's a really interesting question! I will have to pay closer attention. The durandii blooms seem to have been around for quite a while, however.

[Malgorzata]

I must say I have been paying more attention to the longevity of roses' blooms much more than Clematis... May be starting from the end would do? As Helen noticed... some blooms are so short lived!

For me Integrifolias have kept well ...and doubles. Josephine keeps its flowers for very long... but I don't have any records. Can't grow alpinas...Grrr. Deborah, I have to look closer at VdL!! Fascination sounds (and looks!) like a perfect plant (why don't I have it yet?!). Susan, my Durandii also seems to last "forever"! I really should pay more attention!
Dagmar, I think it is C.Lady Bird Johnson... I "think" because at one time I mixed LBJ and "Sir Travor Lawrence" and lost the other one when moving it ("then" I did not have idea that those tiny cuttings were going to grow so huge in no time and swallow my poor rose, conifer and now the gate ). LBJ does gather a lot of attention at my gate... even more than C.Princess Diana that is more mature. The color is striking!

Originally Posted by iammarie21 I don't have any Clematis yet

Candace, how possible?! We must have been doing a miserable enabling job this year Buddies!

Thanks all for looking up and for your thoughts! I was getting bored but looks like there is still to learn a lot about Clematis.

[gardenbug]

Mal, I just picked up a Princess Di the other day. Now where to put it? Is there anything special I should know about it?

[Mike_in_Chicago]

The ones that last longest on the vine are also the ones that make the best cut flowers and survive well in a vase. The double patens types take a long time to unfold and thus last long, especially ones where the stamens have become stamenoid, petal-like forms (Josephine, Blue Light, etc.) Of the large flowered patens singles, ones like The President or Natacha can last nearly a week in a vase because they take so long to unfold each layer of their stamens, giving up one row of pollen per day.

Sadly, the viticellas in general don't work as well in a vase; I'm guessing it's because of their thinner stems. But on the vine they make up for it with numbers of blooms. But as mentioned, anything with integrifolia can last quite long in vase or on vine, I assume because of the thicker stem.

Great thread idea!

[Malgorzata]

Originally Posted by Mike_in_Chicago The ones that last longest on the vine are also the ones that make the best cut flowers and survive well in a vase.

Interesting approach Mike. For me, at this time of the year it is almost impossible to have long lasting blooms at home of any plant. Two days maximum.... unless I have 24 h A/C working. The thicker stem idea is also something to look at. Under the similar circumstances, hot and humid here or cool and rainy in other place... what flower would hold the best?

Originally Posted by Mike_in_Chicago The President or Natacha can last nearly a week in a vase because they take so long to unfold each layer of their stamens, giving up one row of pollen per day.

Very interesting! I did not pay attention to that either! Learning! Thank you Mike!

Originally Posted by gardenbug I just picked up a Princess Di the other day.

Marie, I saw you also have DofA. Guess they do need the similar conditions. My PDs grow in spots where they have to fight for water with other plants and the drainage is very good there. Shaded roots but not the heads. I do water them regularly! I do hope PD does well for you Marie! It is a beautiful plant once established! But don't believe some books that say it is NOT prone to mildew. It is!

[gardenbug]

Oh dear....I had to get rid of Etoile Rose due to mildew. It was a mess every single year except the first. That's when I planted it right by our front entrance. Odoriba has replaced it. I'll hope that Diana is happier here!

[Mike_in_Chicago]

Originally Posted by Malgorzata Under the similar circumstances, hot and humid here or cool and rainy in other place... what flower would hold the best?

I would say the ones with the thicker sepals and stems: in my garden that would be Natacha, The President, various viorna group flowers and integrifolias. I don't grow many patens types, but I'm sure there are others that last. Ones that don't last thought I think they should are Hagley Hybrid, Asao, Niobe, Bagatelle - all patens types that don't last long.

[Malgorzata]

Marie, maybe in your climate PD will be more literate and actually read those books? I am happy about my PD but when the mildew gets too much on my nerves I simply chop it down and in my climate I usually get another show of blooms in a few weeks. My monstrous Princess Diana just went down with all the buds and blooms...and the mildew (we are in the mid of rainy season). Since I overplant lots of others left till their time comes... neverending rotation and never the same gardening year!


JPII performs now but wilted in early spring.

[Malgorzata]

Mike, thank you! It does sound very logical! If I knew at the beginning of my adventure with Clematis what I know now!

[peer_nz]

Originally Posted by Mike_in_Chicago The President or Natacha can last nearly a week in a vase

do you have air condition ?? most last at least 10 days here.

Originally Posted by gardenbug I had to get rid of Etoile Rose due to mildew

did you plant her in a very sheltered spot? A little bit of spraying goes a long way to protect them.
I at loss to understand why people do nothing to protect their plants and to Quote Barry Fretwell:
I'm always at a loss to understand why some gardeners will watch a plant become crippled by mildew when a cure is so easily applied by spraying a fungicide at the first sign of the disease. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. !


Keep the plants well feed, not overfeed and do not use agrichem fertilizers, well balanced plants are mostly healthy.