Winter Beauty Evergreen Clematis

• Variety: Winter Beauty – scented white bells when little else flowers
• Latin name: Clematis urophylla 'Winter Beauty'
• Flower: Nodding white bells, waxy-textured
• Scent: Lightly scented
• Evergreen: Yes, glossy dark foliage held year-round
• Climbing method: Leaf-stalk tendril climber
• Height: To 4m
• Flowering: November–February
• Pruning group: Group 1
• Planting depth: Plant at pot level – do not bury the crown
• Soil: Well-drained. Add grit on heavy clay
• Hardiness: Hardy, but prefers a sheltered spot
• RHS AGM: No
• Sold as: P9 and 3L deep pots, grown from cuttings by us. Peat-free compost
• Plant outdoors: Year-round
• Delivered: March–November typically. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Clematis Winter Beauty – Scented Flowers Through the Darkest Months

Winter Beauty flowers from November to February. While the rest of the garden sleeps, this clematis produces clusters of nodding white bells with a light, sweet scent. The flowers are waxy in texture and surprisingly tough; they shrug off rain and light frost that would wreck anything more delicate. The evergreen foliage is glossy and dark, handsome enough to earn its wall space in the months when nothing is flowering at all. This is not a clematis for people who want a blaze of summer colour. It is a clematis for people who look out of the kitchen window in January and want something to smile about.

We share an extended family "dog burial copse", where all the family bury their dogs when they die. It's just a little clearing in a little wood, which is the perfect place for winter flowering clematis: sheltered, light, relatively warm. Naturally, we planted a Winter Beauty there. It has even survived being eaten by deer.

The plant reaches about 4m and is reasonably compact by evergreen clematis standards. It needs a sheltered wall; south- or west-facing is safest. Our experience at the nursery is that Winter Beauty may be a touch hardier than Freckles, which is its closest relative in the range, though both want protection from east winds. The difference in a bad winter is that Winter Beauty keeps going where Freckles pauses. Good drainage matters more than soil fertility: work in grit if you garden on heavy clay.

Not a Cirrhosa, But Close

Winter Beauty is technically Clematis urophylla (sometimes listed as C. clarkeana), not a cirrhosa, though the two are often grouped together because they share the same habits: evergreen, winter-flowering, bell-shaped flowers, Mediterranean rhythm. The practical difference is small. Both follow the same pruning, planting, and care rules. Both go semi-dormant in summer. If you grow Freckles already and want a second winter-flowering clematis on a different wall, Winter Beauty gives you pure white where Freckles gives you speckled cream. The two together cover November to March between them.

Companions for Winter Interest

Winter Beauty flowers while everything else is dormant, so the companion strategy is about filling the summer months. A vigorous Group 3 clematis like Polish Spirit takes over from July to September on the same wall, its deep purple a sharp contrast to Winter Beauty's white. For spring, an Apple Blossom on an adjacent wall provides scented pink flowers in March and April, bridging the gap between Winter Beauty finishing and the summer clematis starting. Plant snowdrops and hellebores at the base for ground-level winter interest that mirrors the white bells overhead.

Why Ashridge?

We propagate Winter Beauty from cuttings ourselves. The evergreen clematis are not the easiest group to root, but we have been doing it long enough to get consistent results. Peat-free compost, biological controls, no neonicotinoids. The people who propagated your plant are the same people who pack it and post it, so if it arrives and something is not right, the person you speak to knows exactly what they sent you. Every plant is guaranteed. Which? Gardening Best Buy, Feefo Platinum Partner. See our full clematis range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which clematis group is Winter Beauty?

Group 1. It flowers on stems made the previous year, so prune only after flowering in spring, and only if the plant needs reducing. Never cut into old bare wood unless you are prepared for a slow recovery. In practice, Winter Beauty rarely needs pruning at all in the first five years.

Is Clematis Winter Beauty evergreen?

Yes. The glossy dark foliage is held through winter and spring. In a very hot, dry summer the leaves may brown slightly as the plant enters its natural rest period, but fresh growth reappears in autumn. This is a Mediterranean-climate response, not a sign of disease.

How deep should I plant Winter Beauty clematis?

At pot level. Do not bury the crown. This is the opposite of the deep-planting rule that applies to most clematis: Winter Beauty's crown can rot if covered with soil. Set the top of the rootball level with the surrounding ground. For full planting instructions see our clematis growing guide.

Is Winter Beauty the same as Clematis cirrhosa?

No, it is not, but it has similar Mediterranean origins; Winter Beauty is Clematis urophylla (sometimes sold as C. clarkeana), a different species from the cirrhosa clematis like Freckles and Jingle Bells. However the two species are similar: same pruning group, same planting depth, same winter-flowering habit. The main visible difference is the flower: Winter Beauty has plain white bells, while the cirrhosa varieties are speckled or creamy.

Will Winter Beauty survive a cold winter?

In most of England, Wales, and sheltered parts of Scotland, it does well. Our experience at the nursery is that Winter Beauty is a little hardier than the cirrhosa varieties, though all winter-flowering clematis prefer a sheltered wall. Cold east winds damage flower buds more than cold temperatures alone. In very exposed gardens, fleece the plant during severe snaps. See our guide to climbers and walls for advice on choosing the best position.

Why has my Winter Beauty gone brown in summer?

Summer dormancy. Winter-flowering clematis follow a Mediterranean rhythm: they grow and flower through the cooler months, then rest in summer heat. In a hot July or August the foliage browns or thins. Leave it alone. Fresh green growth returns in September as temperatures drop. If the browning bothers you, grow a summer-flowering clematis on the same wall to mask it.