Scarlet Clematis, Texas Clematis, Leatherflower, Texas Leatherflower, Pipe-vine

Scarlet Clematis, Texas Clematis, Leatherflower, Texas Leatherflower, Pipe-vine 'Pagoda'
Clematis texensis

Clematis Pagoda

Thank yo for your lovely photo of the Texas Hibiscus!

I am always looking for vining plants, particularly those that tolerate shade, since most of our gardens are part shade to shade. Can you tell me if this is a typical, mostly sun-loving clamatic, and what its growth habits are?

Thanks,

Peter

The texensis varieties can grow in any position so some shade would be ok as long as it isn't deep shade under evergreens! They can be grown well through shrubs which is how I like to grow mine (the host is a winter flowering daphne so the clematis perks it up in summer). I think they appreciate the support of another plant. They grow from 2-5 metres and should be pruned back to about 75cms of soil level. I love these small flowered types and this one is very reliable and easy. Good luck!

Thanks for the input. I think I've seen them in an online catalog. I'll be looking again. I like the small-flowered varieties also, and understand that they will not succumb to disease like the large-flowered lhybrid

Peter

A lovely clematis and if it is like its parents should be trouble free and rewarding!
I'm wondering about the true colour? It looks more purple than scarlet on my monitor but perhaps should be closer to the scarlet of 'Etoile Rose'. Its often listed as viticella group but as its probably about 50% texensis it could be considered to belong to either group.
I have not grown it yet but intend to do so. Any comments on the true colour would be appreciated.
Jack

The colour is definitely not scarlet - it has a prominent purple stripe down the outside of the petals but is quite pink inside.

Here's a view of the inside

That's even prettier than I thought!

Thanks for the colour description, the DG Plantfile definition as "Scarlet Clematis" is a bit misleading. It realy refers to the texensis parent species not to 'Pagoda' which is a hybrid.
Illustrations in books are also misleading as the colour reproduction is unreliable.
Jack

There's nothing like seeing the real thing and I promise these photos do the plant justice!

Is 'Pagoda' evergreen? The leaves look like they might be evergreen based on the foliage shown in the top picture.
Mike

No I trim the plant back to about 18 inches in spring - there's alot of new growth already. The foliage you can see is probably the daphne odora which is the host plant. I like to grow clematis through winter flowering shrubs as they give them summer interest.

Fantastic photos Ann.

I'd love to add some of these small flowered varieties to my garden.

Daphne aren't very big. I guess they trail about during the summer?

This message was edited Mar 10, 2005 9:44 AM

Actually I have 4 plants one of which is about 6 feet tall. This particular one is daphne odora aureomarginata and it's about 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide - just coming into flower now. They are shrubs and evergreen and don't trail! Are you thinking of something else?

I meant that the clematis are much taller/longer growing than the daphne odora. So I assume that after that climb out of the bush they scramble around on the ground - unles it is into the neighbor daphne......... I know that some people prefer to let their clematis or other herbaceous vines ramble about ijn a perennial border............

Sorry I misunderstood! Yes I let the clematis ramble about the border but it stays where it gets support.

Never occured to me to use a smaller shrub for the clematis. i will try it..