Rubens Clematis Plants

Clematis montana var. rubens

The pale pink, simple, fragrant flowers almost cover the plant in May and June. The new leaves are bronze-tinged.

This is a vigorous climber that can race up to 10 metres tall, great for quickly covering walls and pergolas.

Browse our other Clematis varieties, or all our climbing plants.

Features:

• Flower colour: Pale pink, with greenish stamens
• Flower shape: 4 petals arranged in a cruciform
• Fragrance: Strong
• Repeating: No
• Approximate flowering season: May - June
• Final height and spread: 7-10m x 4m
• Pruning group: 1
• RHS Plants for Pollinators

Growing Clematis rubens

Clematis perform best with in deep, moist soil where the soil is shaded and the vines grow into the sun, but montanas are tough, tolerate shade and will cope in a northerly aspect facing an open sky, as well as coastal conditions
Give it plenty of room and a sturdy supporting structure to ramble up (or along) where that you will be able to enjoy the fabulous spring display and fragrance.

In Your Garden Design

Not for a small garden, nevertheless fast-growing C montana has the advantage of being able to hide ugly walls or buildings and scramble up trees and telegraph poles. Used as a backdrop to a spring garden of blossom and bulbs, it will take it to another level. It's ideal with an equally bountiful rose such as the mighty American pillar which grows to about 6m or the City of York which will run to 4.5m.

Did You Know?

A Chinese species first collected in 1884 by the intrepid Dr Augustine Henry (1857-1930), it is a natural variation of the white-flowered Clematis montana. There have been ongoing skirmishes between taxonomists about the purity of the species as cultivated in the West, and some contend that it should be named as a cultivar proper, Clematis montana 'Rubens', to distinguish it from the wild ones.

Images supplied by Clematis on the Web.

How to Grow Clematis montana Rubens:

• Give it a deep, moist spot to bury its roots into.
• The soil needs to be a well-drained (it won't tolerate waterlogging).
• The climber needs a supporting structure - the plant will become heavy if left unpruned.
• Final height of 10m makes it well suited to scrambling through large trees, or covering large walls/fences.
• Pruning group 1 - no regular pruning required. If you want to reduce their size, prune immediately after flowering.
• All clematis like a mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost in late spring.

Look out for: Aphids and caterpillars are fond of the young shoots

Follow planting instructions to minimize the risk of clematis wilt

Clematis slime flux, a bacterial infection of damaged tissue, can kill large specimens in a short period of time. It can be pruned out if spotted early.