Clematis montana ‘Robud’ Rosebud - Clématite des montagnes Rosebud

The Clematis ROSEBUD (‘Robud’) is a mountain clematis with spring flowering, sought after for its semi-double flowers of a soft pink. The rounded flower buds open into pale pink corollas, slightly salmon, around a cream and yellow centre. This vigorous climbing plant is capable of scaling a fence, pergola, garden shed or the branches of a small tree. Its flowering is so abundant that it almost hides the foliage for several weeks.

This clematis belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. Deciduous, it loses its leaves in autumn, but its woody stems persist and carry the following spring's flowers. This variety, from the Montana group, was obtained in New Zealand by Robin C. Mitchell, who selected it in 1995. It was released in the late 1990s, then protected under the name ‘Rosebud’ in New Zealand and under the denomination ‘Robud’ in Europe. The wild species Clematis montana grows naturally from Afghanistan to the Himalayas, in China and as far as Taiwan. It is found in open forests, forest edges and mountain thickets, where its stems climb on trees and shrubs.
'Rosebud' develops long thin, brown and flexible branches. The petioles of its leaves wrap around branches or wires placed within reach; the plant cannot therefore attach itself to a bare wall. It most often reaches 5 to 6 m in height for 2.50 to 3 m in spread. In deep, moist soil, its branches can climb up to 8 m and cover nearly 4 m in width. It therefore remains a vigorous clematis, even if some "Montana" become even more imposing. Its leaves are divided into three ovate and dentate leaflets. The young shoots are tinged with bronze, then the foliage becomes dark green. Flowering appears on the branches formed the previous year, usually from April to May, sometimes until June depending on the climate. The flowers measure 5 to 6 cm in diameter. Their outer tepals, broad and rounded, surround several shorter floral parts which give the corolla its semi-double appearance. Their colour shell pink fades over the days. In the centre, the cream to yellow stamens remain clearly visible. The flowers cover a large part of the branches and give off a light musky scent in mild weather. They are followed by small fruits grouped in feathery heads, quite decorative. It is a very hardy plant, tolerating at least -20°C.

This beautiful clematis is suitable for pergolas, fence netting and small buildings which it can largely cover. It can also climb into an old ornamental apple, a hawthorn or a large lilac well established. At the base, epimediums, hardy geranium groundcovers or small hart's tongue ferns maintain soil moisture without hindering its development. A white repeat flowering climbing rose, such as ‘Guirlande d’Amour’, will take over after the clematis's spring flowering. You can also run its branches along horizontal wires attached to a wall.