Clematis are beautiful , showy vine with gorgeous bloom , attractive seminal fluid heads , and a highly ornate climb or sprawl habit .
They bloom in bounce , summertime , or fall , depend on their group , and put on a magnificent floral show once found .
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Photo by Lorna Kring.
These tight - produce vines are easy to cultivate and wish for , but correct pruning is an important step in their yearly maintenance .
Not only does it check bulk of blooms each year , but it ’s also need to shew strong , healthy growth that produces multiple stem loaded with peak along their entire length .
So if you ’d like to increase your vines ’ flush power , permit ’s cut to the pursual !
Photo by Lorna Kring.
Here ’s how to prune clematis for copious blooms :
What You’ll Learn
First - Year Care
Second - Year Care
Third - class Care and Beyond : The Three Groups
Early Spring Flowering
Repeat Summer Flowering
Late Summer and Fall Flowering
General Pruning Tips to Promote Flowering
The following whole tone for first- and 2nd - yr care are n’t compulsory – clematis vine bed to grow , and they ’ll do very well on their own if you want to plant and leave them be to start .
But for potent , multi - stemmed flora with blossoms and leaves from top to bottom , here ’s what to do .
In the first twelvemonth after planting , all clematis varieties , regardless of the pruning grouping they belong to , should be write out back hard in later winter to six to 12 in .
The drawback in doing this is the curt - terminus loss of flowers in their first full growing season – do n’t have a bun in the oven any blossoms from Group 1 or Group 2 cultivars , the unity that blossom on erstwhile wood .
But the tenacious - term welfare are stronger plants that produce bud dispirited on the stem , not just at the wind , and more salad days overall .
Sacrificing a season ’s flower is emotionally challenging , so hold onto that visual sensation of plush , fanning vines loaded from tip to toe with colorful blooms – this step helps it come true , with a little patience !
The lately - bloom Group 3 vine bloom on novel forest and these plants always get a hard cut back , sotheir flowering performanceisn’t bear upon .
A repetition of this hard pruning for vines in their second year is often urge by grower .
But in the second twelvemonth , cut off back only to a height of about three animal foot – this leaves a surgical incision of old wood in space , so you may carry some bud product .
A strong second - year pruning means plants are ho-hum to reach their mature meridian , but they modernize more prow with bushier growth , which naturally result in more flowers .
After the first- and/or 2nd - year pruning , follow the guidelines as detail for each category below in each year to be .
Group 1 include the former varieties that bloom in late winter into early springtime , and require no pruning for flush production – only a wanton cleanup is needed to tidy plants .
These varieties flower on old wood . As a liberal rule , if they split into blossom before June , they ’re in Group 1 .
works in this mathematical group can be of two types . Either they do n’t die out back in wintertime , and shape deciduous , multi - stemmed thickets , like those of ‘ Pamela Jackman . ’ Or they ’re extensive , evergreen plant climbers that spring up thick , woody stems , like ‘ Apple Blossom . ’
If involve , Group 1 vine can be trim sparingly after efflorescence . At this time , trim stems lightly to tidy plants and remove any dead or discredited wood .
Occasionally , these large , matured vine need to be cut back to renew vigor or for home plate care , like painting .
For a hard cut back , wait until plant have finished blossom , then snub back to about 12 inch , using a garden visualise for thick theme . New shoots will emerge from the crown in summertime .
Some democratic Group 1 specie includeClematis alpina , C. armandii , C. macropetala , C. cirrhosa , andC. montana – which you could read about in our pathfinder to13 of the best bound - flowering clematis varieties .
Group 2 plants are the splashy and boastfully - flowered varieties of summertime . Many of these are hybrids .
They develop multi - caulescent thickets that bloom first on former Mrs. Henry Wood in late spring and other summer . Then , afterdeadheading the spent flowers , plant life rebloom on raw wood in mid- to late summertime .
Pruning these plant is a two - stage process .
The first degree involves a low-cal groom in late wintertime to kempt works and remove deadened or discredited bow .
Just as new emergence emerge , check each stem , skim from the top down – you ’re looking for the first bent of plump leaf buds . Snip lightly a little above the buds to take away just the top increase .
Use a light touch and avoid a hard or heavy shearing – slue back too much at this metre results in peak exit .
Remove any deadened stems or spindly , weak growing close to the base .
The 2nd stage involve deadheading spent blooms straight off after efflorescence . curve back vine to a hardening of sound leavesbelowspent flowers to encourage newfangled blooms .
Group 2 cultivars admit ‘ Jackmanii , ’ ‘ Rouge Cardinal , ’ ‘ Ville de Lyon , ’ and many more that you could understand about in ourguide to the best summertime - flower varieties of clematis .
vine that bloom in late summer and other autumn are the Group 3 type , and these require a hard cut back .
These multi - stemmed President George W. Bush go dormant in winter , and produce strong , new shoots from the cut stems each fountain . They flower entirely on new growth , which is why they ’re the last mathematical group to bloom .
Pruning these varieties is very straightforward . In previous winter , just cut back all stems to a tiptop of about 12 inches , cutting just above a stage set of goodish leaf buds .
If you have mature , robust plants with legion shank , you’re able to reel where you edit out the stems and leave a few longer ones to bloom at varying top .
And for variety that self - source sharply – like the odoriferous fall species , C. paniculata – trim severely to a top of 12 inchesimmediately after efflorescence . This removes seed heads and minimizes unwanted ego - generation .
Somepopular Group 3 vinesincludeC. tangutica , C. texensis , andC. viticella . ‘ Bill MacKenzie , ’ ‘ Etoile Rose , ’ and ‘ Alba Luxurians ’ are well - known cultivars .
For lucullan growth with an copiousness of flowers , keep the stick with tips in mind :
Berger Waved Hedge Shears
The chrome plat blades are nine inches long , and the waved shape keep offshoot from slipping .
Folding Pruning get word
This foldaway pruning visualize have a 10 - in toothed blade , with a comfy galosh covered handle . It ship with a leather pouch that can be attached to your belt for wanton approach .
A Cut Above
Clematis are glossy vines that make a gorgeous plus to garden and yards .
And with just a bit of selective pruning , each year you’re able to love full vine load up with pile of flowers and profuse leaf !
Time your trimming to coincide with the emersion of new ontogeny and always use clean , acute snip for felicitous , healthy plants .
And formore clematis knowledge , check out these guide next :
Photos by Lorna Kring © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Originally published April 17th , 2022 . Last update : May 24th , 2025 . Product photos via Garrett Wade and Amazon . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Lorna Kring
