Clematis Etoile Nacrée

Clematis 'Etoile Nacrée', also known as 'Sakaruhime', is a highly flowering variety that stands out with its large flowers that open in a very light mauve-pink before turning pearly-white. It is one of the easiest climbing perennials to grow as its long voluble stems cling to surrounding supports and can even crawl to form a dense and flowering ground cover. From May to September, outside of the excessively hot periods of summer, it blooms in masses of flat stars with a prominent yellow heart. Its compact growth is ideal for small gardens and pots on a patio. It simply needs light, and moist, rich and well-drained soil. It will look lovely climbing on a trellis against a wall near the house, where you can enjoy its brilliant and abundant flowering.

The genus Clematis belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. Clematis 'Etoile Nacrée' is a Japanese variety obtained by Masayoshi Okuboo. Its Japanese name translates to "cherry princess".

It is a woody and climbing perennial plant, with short stems that will not exceed 3m (10ft) in height and a spread of 1m (3ft). The deciduous leaves fall in winter. They are bright green, composed of 3 ovate to lanceolate leaflets measuring 3 to 7cm (1 to 3in) long and 1.5 to 5cm (1 to 2in) wide. They are traversed by relatively prominent veins. The rounded, single flowers are composed of 8 elliptical to rounded, overlapping and pointed tepals. They are 15 to 18cm (6 to 7in) in diameter. The flower is initially very light mauve-pink before becoming pearly-white. It opens flat. The stamens are cream and bear yellow anthers. The colour of the flowers tends to fade at full bloom, especially when the plant is grown in a very sunny exposure. This clematis clings to the support or host plant through voluble stems with petioles transformed into tendrils. This variety has good health and hardiness.

Plant your clematis in the company of climbing roses to extend the flowering period of walls and pergolas until the end of summer. It is a diverse genus, with flowers of all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their ease of cultivation to give your garden a romantic and bohemian touch. Fearing excessive heat and drying out at its base, plant the clematis in the shade of a ground cover plant or a bush. Thanks to its rather modest size, it will easily find its place in a small garden and will be perfectly happy in a pot on a patio or next to a doorway, embracing a small bamboo structure to welcome visitors with its magical colours. Plant it against a dark wall or let it climb in a bush lacking colour. Its large flowering will illuminate the garden.