Clematis - Ask Extension
My husband just removed a structure with vining clematis. I think i should move it, or it will be sprayed with round-up. (1) can I divide and transpla...
Knowledgebase
Clematis #150699
Asked September 02, 2013, 11:54 PM EDT
My husband just removed a structure with vining clematis. I think i should move it, or it will be sprayed with round-up. (1) can I divide and transplant it right now? If so, how much space does it need to grow and to what height should it be trimmed before transplanting? (2) I thought of transplanting clematis to the base of our clothesline pole. However, it is in the great wide open. How will it fair in the full sun and our ND wind? (3) I have an infant that will be toddling around next summer. Is clematis poisonous? (4) My heart is really not 100% set on the clematis. Can you suggest any hardy, flowering alternatives? Thank you!
Traill County North Dakota
Expert Response
(1) Best time to transplant is fall (after leaves drop) or early spring before growth begins. Try to get as much of the root ball as you can. I would not advice you to divide it. It is hard to say how much space that your clematis needs because you did not specify the species and cultivar. However, certain cultivars can grow 8 to 12 feet in a year.
As for pruning, it depends on what kind of clematis you have and when it blooms. If you have a large-flowered hybrid that blooms on both old and new wood starting in mid- to late-June and then reblooms in fall (like Nelly Moser), you will want to prune the vine in late winter/early spring. Remove dead or damaged wood. Never remove below the first bud that appears plump and green.
If you have a clematis that blooms on new wood (like C. jackmanii), then cut the plant back to a height of 24-36" in early spring. You can be more aggressive with pruning this kind of clematis.
(2) Clematis is a little on the difficult side. It is a little like roses--it likes sun on its leaves but wants its roots to be in the cool, moist shade. I would hesitate to plant clematis in the open without planting some annuals or something around its base to shade its roots. A better idea might be to plant where it gets at least 6 hours of sun per day and partial shade for the remainder of the day.
(3) Yes, its leaves are poisonous but so are a lot of other plants.
(4) Flowering vines that are hardy and perennial are in short supply in North Dakota. Dropmore scarlet honeysuckle is a good alternative to clematis. You might also want to consider annual vines such as morning glory or black-eyed susan vine.
As for pruning, it depends on what kind of clematis you have and when it blooms. If you have a large-flowered hybrid that blooms on both old and new wood starting in mid- to late-June and then reblooms in fall (like Nelly Moser), you will want to prune the vine in late winter/early spring. Remove dead or damaged wood. Never remove below the first bud that appears plump and green.
If you have a clematis that blooms on new wood (like C. jackmanii), then cut the plant back to a height of 24-36" in early spring. You can be more aggressive with pruning this kind of clematis.
(2) Clematis is a little on the difficult side. It is a little like roses--it likes sun on its leaves but wants its roots to be in the cool, moist shade. I would hesitate to plant clematis in the open without planting some annuals or something around its base to shade its roots. A better idea might be to plant where it gets at least 6 hours of sun per day and partial shade for the remainder of the day.
(3) Yes, its leaves are poisonous but so are a lot of other plants.
(4) Flowering vines that are hardy and perennial are in short supply in North Dakota. Dropmore scarlet honeysuckle is a good alternative to clematis. You might also want to consider annual vines such as morning glory or black-eyed susan vine.
