Valour Clematis Plants

• Variety: Valour, pruning group 3 – hard prune, long summer season, wilt-resistant
• Latin name: Clematis viticella 'Valour'
• Flower: Deep violet-purple, velvety, 8–10cm across
• Scent: None
• Climbing method: Leaf-stalk tendril climber
• Height: To 2.5m
• Flowering: June–September
• Pruning group: Group 3 – cut back hard in February
• Planting depth: Plant 8–10cm below pot level
• Hardiness: Fully hardy
• 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 Valour – Tough, Wilt-Resistant, Richly Purple

Valour is a viticella clematis, which means two things matter more than anything else: it is resistant to clematis wilt, and it gets the simplest possible prune — cut everything hard in February and walk away. The flowers are deep violet-purple with a velvety texture, 8–10cm across, smaller than the large-flowered hybrids but produced in far greater numbers. From June through September, a well-grown Valour plant is covered in them.

The viticella group earns its reputation. These are the clematis that thrive where others sulk. Heavy clay, coastal exposure, partial shade — Valour handles conditions that would leave a more temperamental hybrid looking sorry for itself. If you have lost a clematis to wilt and sworn off the genus entirely, a viticella is the way back in. They rarely disappoint.

Combining Valour With Other Clematis

Deep purple pairs naturally with lighter colours. Train Valour through a climbing rose for the classic English-garden combination, or plant it alongside Guernsey Cream for a purple-and-cream wall that runs from May well into autumn. For a viticella-only scheme, add Purpurea Plena Elegans (double rosy-purple pompoms) and Étoile Violette (AGM, deep violet) — three wilt-resistant clematis flowering together through the summer, all getting the same February chop. At ground level, a drift of lavender adds scent and keeps the roots cool.

Why Ashridge?

We grow Valour ourselves from cuttings, in peat-free compost with biological controls. No neonicotinoids. Every plant is guaranteed, and every order is packed by the same Somerset team who propagated it. Delivered by next-day courier, Which? Best Plant Supplier, and Dan is on the phone if anything isn't right. Browse the full clematis range.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I prune Valour clematis?

In February, hard. Cut every stem to about 30cm above ground, just above the lowest pair of strong buds. Valour flowers entirely on new growth, so you lose nothing by removing last year's stems — you actually improve the display. Our pruning groups guide covers the detail.

Is Valour resistant to clematis wilt?

Effectively immune. Viticella clematis rarely suffer from wilt. This is one of the main reasons to grow them, especially if you have lost large-flowered clematis to the disease in the past. Deep planting (8–10cm below pot level) is still good practice for all clematis.

What is the difference between viticella and large-flowered clematis?

Viticella types have smaller flowers (5–10cm) produced in much larger numbers, are wilt-resistant, and all get a hard Group 3 prune. Large-flowered types have bigger individual blooms (10–20cm) but fewer of them, most are susceptible to wilt, and many need the lighter Group 2 prune. Both are superb garden plants. Our clematis growing guide covers both groups.

How deep should I plant Valour?

Plant 8–10cm below pot level. Deep planting promotes basal growth and provides a reserve of buds below ground. For full instructions see our planting depth guide.

Will Valour grow on a north-facing wall?

Viticella clematis are more shade-tolerant than most. Valour will flower on a north-facing wall, though the display will be heavier in sun. The deep purple colour actually holds better without being bleached by intense afternoon light, so a west-facing or lightly shaded position suits it well.