Clematis armandii Snowdrift - Evergreen Clematis

The Clematis armandii Snowdrift is a form with pure white flowers and particularly floriferous of the Clematis Armandii. This vigorous liana is one of the few evergreen clematis, which are also more frost-sensitive than deciduous species. Its early flowering, with divinely scented white cascades, begins as early as the end of winter in the south of our country, accompanying that of almond trees to announce the return of spring. Since it does not cling on its own, it is necessary to train it on a support like a large trellis when it is planted at the base of a wall. This clematis is splendid when planted in a hedge of bushes on which it will take support and which, at the same time, will hide the dead and brown leaves that remain attached to the branches for a long time.

The armandii clematis is a persistent, robust and floriferous Chinese botanical species, capable of quickly covering large areas. The 'Snowdrift' cultivar stands out for its slightly less significant development, its more coppery young foliage, its fuller foliage, its slightly later and even more abundant flowering, and its slightly larger flowers with finer petals. These plants belong to the renunculaceae family.

'Snowdrift' sends out quadrangular woody climbing stems from its stump, measuring 3 to 4m (10 to 13ft) long. Over time, this liana will spread over an area of more than 3m (10ft) on the ground. Vegetation restarts in February, with the appearance of large reddish flower buds. They quickly swell and elongate to bloom into large clusters of buds. Each one gives birth to a 7.5cm (3in) diameter flower, composed of 4 thin and pure white petals surrounding a heart of creamy and green stamens. Their pronounced scent is reminiscent of orange blossom and almond. After flowering, it is the coppery young shoots that develop on the branches. They unfold into leaves divided into 3 large, deeply veined, shiny, dark green leaflets. These leaves are so firmly attached to the stems that they have difficulty detaching themselves when they dry. Large brownish-black areas then form, more or less concealed under the young foliage. It may be useful to remove these dead leaves for aesthetic reasons only.

The Snowdrift clematis is a less hardy variety that does not tolerate cold winters well, especially in heavy soil and windy exposure. Plant it to cover a well-exposed, very sunny wall, where it can withstand short freezes of around -12/-15°C (10.4/5°F) once established. On the other hand, it is a star of gardens in the south, just like the banksia roses with which it associates well; it perfectly resists dry and hot summers after 2 to 3 years of careful cultivation and care, provided it is well established in a deep, well-prepared, amended and loosened soil. It is better to avoid launching it to assault a pergola for two reasons; its evergreen foliage blocks the sun in winter and its dry foliage, which accumulates under the vegetation, is not very aesthetic. But the beauty of this liana and the scent of its flowers are well worth a few minutes of meticulous pruning, once a year.