Clematis Morning Star

Clematis Morning Star is a recent variety of clematis with a particularly bright flowering and a modest size, well suited to small spaces and pot cultivation. It displays large single star-shaped flowers in white-pink delicately edged with deeper lilac-purple at the beginning of summer. The flowers produced throughout the summer will be smaller, but adorned with the same brilliance. Combine this lovely climbing plant with blue or pink varieties to form very romantic garlands in the bushes, on a trellis, a fence... It will also be stunning in hanging baskets!

Clematis belong to the renunculaceae family. They are found in both hemispheres, particularly in Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australia and North and Central America. 'Morning Star', introduced in the Netherlands in 2007, is a perennial and hardy, woody climbing plant that quickly reaches 2m (7ft) high, with a spread of 1m (3ft).

It belongs to the Patens group of clematis, which bloom in spring on old wood, and then on new shoots in summer. This variety bears star-shaped flowers 14cm (6in) in diameter on the previous year's branches in May-June. They then bloom from July to September on spring shoots, in 10cm (4in) diameter stars. They are solitary or grouped in clusters and produced abundantly. They are upright with 4 to 6 thick, bicoloured petals. The centre of each petal is white, tinged with pale lilac, while the edges have a wide zone of lilac finely edged with rose-purple. The centre of the corolla has a cluster of light yellow stamens. The moderate-sized, fairly dark olive green leaves have oval, smooth leaflets, of the patens type. This clematis clings to the support or host plant through petioles transformed into tendrils.

Clematis like to have their feet in the shade and their heads in the sun. Plant clematis alongside your climbing roses or ramblers to prolong the flowering of your walls and pergolas until the end of summer. Climbing honeysuckles are also good companions, their light and often fragrant flowers complement the large scentless star-shaped clematis flowers perfectly as will morning glory and sweet peas, to form continuously blooming garlands. Clematis are rich in diversity, with varieties available in all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their easy cultivation to give your garden a romantic and bohemian touch. 'Morning Star' loves to weave through bushes and thrives in a large pot.