Clematis integrifolia Baby Star 'Zobast'

The Clematis or Clematis integrifolia 'Baby Star' is a very floriferous cultivar that will not exceed 1.50 m (5ft) in height, making it suitable for small gardens and for decorating terraces and patios. Its star-shaped flowers are white, marked with a green midrib. It first blooms in May-June, producing semi-double flowers, and then again in August-September, with single flowers on dark green pinnate leaves. It should be grown in well-drained soil, in full sun. Its compact size allows for both ground planting and container cultivation.

The genus Clematis belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. 'Baby Star' is a horticultural variety derived from Clematis integrifolia, an herbaceous clematis native to southern Europe. It belongs to clematis that flower in spring on last year's growth, with a second flush in late summer on new growth. It is a herbaceous and climbing perennial plant with short stems, reaching 1.50m (5ft) to 2m (7ft) in height, and spreading to 1m². Each spring, a multitude of stems emerge from its base.

This clematis bears medium-sized patens-type flowers, 6cm (2in) in diameter, first in May-June in a semi-double form, sometimes double, and then again in late summer in generally single and open corollas. The bisexual flowers are solitary or grouped in cymes. They have white tepals with a pale green midrib, star-shaped and with a yellow stamen center. The deciduous leaves are simple, dark green, tripalmate, with irregularly serrated edges. This clematis clings to support or host plants through petioles transformed into tendrils.

Plant your clematis alongside your climbing roses to extend the flowering season of your walls and pergolas until the end of summer. It is a diverse genus, with varieties available in all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their easy cultivation to give your garden a romantic and bohemian touch. 'Baby Star', thanks to its relatively compact size, will also thrive in a pot on a balcony or next to an entrance door.