Clematis patens Lasurstern

The 'Lasurstern' clematis is a medium-sized variety that offers very large, beautifully rounded, single flowers with undulated petals in a beautiful blue-violet colour, which open to reveal a bouquet of pleasantly contrasting light yellow stamens. It blooms in late spring and early summer, and again in late summer. Its silver and feathery fruits prolong the decorative effect of this pretty vine.

Clematis belong to the ranunculaceae family. They can be found in both hemispheres, especially in Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australia, and North and Central America. The 'Lasurstern' variety is a German horticultural hybrid belonging to the Patens group. Its ornamental qualities and performance in the garden have earned it the Gold Medal of the plant world, an A.G.M awarded by the R.H.S in England. Perfectly perennial and hardy, this Lasurstern variety is a semi-woody climbing plant that will reach a height of about 2.50 m (8ft), with a minimum spread of 1 m (3ft).

This Lasurstern clematis bears flowers with a diameter of 18 to 22 cm (7 to 9in), which appear from May–June to early July on the shoots that come from the previous year's wood, and again on the new shoots in late summer, in August to September. The upright flowers are solitary or grouped in cymes and are particularly abundant. They are composed of 7 to 8 sepals with undulated edges in a deep lavender blue colour that overlap. At full bloom, the centre of the flower reveals a beautiful bouquet of creamy yellow stamens. After pollination, beautiful silvery feathery fruits form. The leaves, pinnate with oval, glabrous leaflets, are of the patens type and are fairly dark green. This clematis clings to the support or host plant by means of petioles transformed into tendrils. Its deciduous foliage is absent in winter.

Plant your clematis alongside your climbing roses or vines to extend the flowering of your walls and pergolas until the end of summer. It is a genus rich in diversity, with varieties available in all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their ease of cultivation to give your garden, as well as your balcony, a romantic and bohemian touch. 'Lasurstern', just like sweet peas, morning glories, and nasturtiums, loves to weave through bushes and performs very well in a large pot, with the base in shade and the head in the sun. The lavender blue of 'Lasurstern' flowers pairs well with the soft pink flowers of the 'Josephine' clematis and the blue-pink of 'Vyvyan Pennell', both in the garden and in bouquets.

Tips: Light and regular watering, accompanied by mulching, help maintain freshness at the base. Pruning allows it to branch out and regain vigour after very cold winters. You can prune it in March to a height of up to 50 cm (20in).