Cath

Clematis - the president

Clematis

• 
  Bright light
• 
  Easy care

• Cath likes...
  • 
    A sunny spot

    Cath will love a partially sunny spot to show off her huge purple flowers.

  • 
    Moist soil

    Cath likes her gritty, well drained soil to stay moist, so give her a little drink if it hasn't rained in a while - just make sure her soil is dry first. Climbing walls is thirsty work.

  • 
    Pruning

    Cut her back to about 30cm in the spring so she can grow big and strong again.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Clematis 'the president'

  Nickname

  Clematis

  Plant type

  Flowering perennial, climber

  Plant height (including pot)

  60-70cm

  Pet/Baby safe?

  Toxic if eaten 

  Nursery pot size

  17cm

• About clematis

  Clematis 'The President' is a showstopping climber that can flower twice a year, from late spring to early summer and late summer to early autumn every year. It's large, open, starry purple-blue flowers are not only great for us to look at but pollinators love them. This clematis has a compact nature which makes it great for growing in pots and small spaces.

  Don't be surprised if your plant loses it's leaves in winter, it's deciduous so this is completely normal. If you're growing your plant under cover from rain or in a pot, remember to keep watering lightly even in winter, because unlike plants that grow in the ground, the roots won't be able to go searching for water in the surrounding soil.

  If you're not planting your clematis in the ground, we recommend removing your plant from it's nursery (plastic) pot and planting it up into a larger decorative pot with drainage at the bottom. This will give it room to grow and means you won't have to water it as often. When planting it up, bury the 'crown' of the plant (where the stems emerge from) five to eight centimetres below the surface of the soil, which will encourage lots of nice new growth.

  Your clematis will need support so train it up a trellis, metal or wooden structure. Keep her out of strong, direct winds. She prefers a little bit more shelter.