Clematis diversifolia Stella Bella

Clematis Stella Bella, belonging to the group of diverse clematis, is used more as a perennial plant than as a climber. Throughout the summer, its numerous flowers bloom in a blue shade with hints of purple. In the centre of each flower there is a bright crown of light yellow stamens. This semi-climbing, modest-sized plant thrives on trellises, fences, or at the base of a bush, but also as ground cover at the foot of trees. It is ideal in a pot on a terrace. Its flowers last several days when cut and arranged in a bouquet.

Clematis are bushy, perennial, or climbing plants from the buttercup family, found in both hemispheres, particularly in Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australia, and North and Central America. It is a genus that offers a wide diversity of flower colours, shapes, and sizes. The Stella Bella variety is a recent creation from the J van Zoest BV nurseries located in Boskoop, Netherlands, derived from Clematis diversifolia. This herbaceous, semi-climbing perennial plant grows to 1 to 1.50 m in all directions. From June to September, you can admire its 8 to 10 cm diameter flowers resembling small windmills. Each flower consists of 6 distinct, slender, slightly incurved tepals surrounding a prominent heart of pale yellow, even cream-coloured stamens. When cut before fully blooming, the bluish-purple flowers last well in a vase. They are followed by feathery, decorative, silver-grey seed heads that persist until winter. The green leaves are deciduous and disappear in winter.

The semi-climbing 'Stella Bella' clematis can be used as a perennial plant in a rock garden, flower bed, or mixed border. Let it grow freely among the branches of a late-flowering bush like 'Zhemchuzhina' Lilac with light violet-pink flowers or the 'Frosty Morn' Mock Orange with double flowers. It also performs well in a container on a balcony or terrace. In a romantically styled flower bed, pair your clematis with a white-flowering shrub rose like 'Nevada' with single flowers or 'Waterloo' with double flowers, and at their feet, plant a 'Crystal Lake' Wallich's Cranesbill with pale mauve flowers veined with violet.