Clematis botany and Clematis flowers
The majority of clematis plants are woody climbing plants. Herbaceous perennial varieties are also available for example Clematis recta which has surface shoots that die in autumn, developing new shoots in the next year.
There are also evergreen climbing clematis such as Clematis armandii while others rapidly grow such as Clematis Montana and Clematis vitalba. They grow to heights as high as 10m. clematis live for extended periods, some having been around for decades.
Clematis flowers
Clematis have non-complicated petal structures that are not divided up into sepals and petals. The female organs are at the center of the flower and are surrounded by the male stamens. The flowers have attractive colours which attract pollinating insects, while other clematis go to the extend of releasing scents to attract the insects such as Clematis Montana Wilsonii.
Clematis flowers shapes
Clematis flowers come in different shape and size variations. Wild species have fragile flowers while the garden growing varieties normally develop large, open, flat, and saucer-like flowers which are about 15-20cm wide. Double flowered speciems are common in the garden, having very long stalks and grow from leaf axils and on shoot ends.
Clematis flowers colours
Clematis flowers have almost every colour in the world, from pink, velvet, blue, red right through to shining white. Small species come in yellow while other varieties have petals that may have a central stripe in a different colour.
Clematis flowering time
Clematis can be divided into:
1. spring-flowering types
2. early-summer flowering types
3. summer-flowering types
species such as Clematis napaulensis flower early while others such as Clematis lasiandra flower very late (they only flower until the second month of autumn)
Clematis leaves
The leaves come in various shapes being tripartite, feathery or simple. The leaves grow in alternating pairs having stalks that are sensitive to touch. The tendrils and stalks are used for climbing. They wrap themselves around supports and assist the clematis to attain considerable heights and resist draught.
Clematis climbing techniques
The climbing clematis plants are able to climb using adapted leaf stalks. The clematis are able to utilize their climbing organs to scale other plants and support structures to reach sunlight. The clematis wrap their leaf stalks around thin and branches of bushes or trees. The leaves drop off in autumn, living woody shoots which survive and last through the winter.