Clematis integrifolia Baby Blue

Clematis 'Baby Blue' is the lavender-flowered sister of C. 'Baby White', a lovely dwarf variety of C. integrifolia. This adorable herbaceous clematis, which is more akin to a perennial than a climber, boasts a long summer flowering period that emits delicate notes of vanilla and musk. After the flowers, silky and silver fruits remain decorative for a long time. Compact, floriferous, and graceful, this variety is ideal for containers. It is also an excellent perennial for border plantings, and its flowers are very pretty in bouquets.

The genus Clematis belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. Clematis 'Baby Blue' is a horticultural variety derived from C. integrifolia, a hardy, non-woody clematis native to southern Europe. It is an herbaceous and minimally climbing perennial with long leafy stems, forming a bushy tuft that does not exceed 80 to 90cm (32 to 35in) in height, with a similar spread. When grown in a pot, it will reach about 50cm (20in) in all directions. Slow to establish, the plant deeply roots itself in the soil before showing exponential growth in the following years. Every spring, a multitude of stems emerge directly from its base. They bear small, entire, oval to elliptical leaves of a deep, glossy green. The flowers bloom from June to September among the foliage. They are pendulous and campanulate in shape, composed of 4 petals fused at the base that are slightly twisted and curled at their tips. Their throat holds yellow stamens. Like its parent, 'Baby Blue' is quite water-efficient and prefers sunny but not scorching locations.

Plant Clematis 'Baby Blue' in a pot or in the ground. To accompany it, consider catmints and hardy geraniums, planting them not far from roses to accompany their flowering and fill in their bare base. Clematis represents 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. The exquisite 'Baby Blue' variety will thrive perfectly in a pot on a balcony, or on a bank adorned with variegated ivy 'Elegantissima', purple-flowered periwinkle 'Atropurpurea', or euphorbias.