Early winter or late autumn flowers?

18 years ago

My wife and myself were discussing how the weather has changed here. November used to be a month of hard frosts when i was a child. It was deefinitely winter. looking round recently this is what I found.

Climbing Dicntra in full flower

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Hardy fuchsias

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I found a lovely Schizostylis that has never flowered before.

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And then while moving some pots I found this winter flowering clematis. It is Clematis cirrhosa "Freckles". I noticed in the spring a local shop had had young plants delivered and they were selling them cheap. I bought 4 clematis to grow on in pots.

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Comments (5)

rosemariero
18 years ago
I don't believe I've seen a yellow Dicentra before, nor your 'Freckles' Clematis! Neat-o! Many I know (across the country here) have remarked how mild it has been. But one friend tells me they'll be getting 6-8 inches of SNOW today! Yikes!

~Rosemarie
geoffhandley
Original Author
18 years ago
The Clematis has been a big seller over here recently... and I thought a little expensive, so i was pleased i spotted them as young plants before the weekend workers had chance to ruin them. It flowers in the winter so i wonder how hardy it is?
The Dicentra is Dicentra scandens. Has lovely light foliage and they will scramble through things, but never seem to overwhelm cause the foliage is so slight. That is why I think you don't see them in nurseries. They just would not stand for weeks without damage. They are easily broken by people passing, wind etc. Once they are in the garden and scrambling they are OK. Good garden plants but nightmare for nurserymen. Easy from seed though.
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shrubs_n_bulbs
18 years ago
Not seen yellow Dicentra? You mean there's another kind?!?

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rosemariero
18 years ago
It's been a while since I got back to catch up on this forum! (Can you tell?)

Interesting the Clem is a winter bloomer. Tell us how it fares through the season, Geoff.

Ha ha, Shrubs..."You mean there's another kind?!?"...I have seen exactly TWO Dicentra, & both being pink (spectabilis)! I bought them both & killed them both! :( I suppose that's why we don't see them much! We probably don't have the conditions it likes. I may attempt to grow them again...IF I ever come across them again.

~Rosemarie
shrubs_n_bulbs
18 years ago
Do you really want a plant that spends half its life invisible underground when you can have all those evergreen succulents? You don't want this one, its a poor climber and needs something to scramble through, and the flowers are not so showy although they do keep coming. The foliage is kind of delicate but never ornamental and rapidly just ragged. I suspect all Dicentra do much better with a good winter chill.

Go with the Clematis, that is special!