Plant Encyclopedia

Brand:  Jelitto Seeds

Description:

This interesting bush variety produces very large, indigo blue , nodding flowers with contrasting cream stamens; perfect for beds and patio containers; non-vining, may benefit from staking or support from nearby plants

Ornamental Features

Blue Ribbons Bush Clematis features delicate nodding indigo star-shaped flowers with creamy white eyes and deep purple stripes at the ends of the branches from late spring to late summer. It has green deciduous foliage. The compound leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Ribbons Bush Clematis is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. It is a Type 2 clematis, which means it will bloom primarily on old wood of the previous season, with a second flush later in summer. Dead and weak vines should be removed in late winter, and remaining vines should be trimmed back to the first buds that are seen to remove dead stems. It is a good choice for attracting bees and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Blue Ribbons Bush Clematis is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Blue Ribbons Bush Clematis will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Blue Ribbons Bush Clematis makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.