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diggerdee

Quick question - which clematis?

So, I've got three clematis sitting in my cart on the Bluestone site. I need a purple clematis to plant with my Zephrine Drouin. Which of these three do you think is best?

Rhapsody
Jackmanii
Franziska Maria

I like them all, color on all LOOKS nice (you never know from a computer monitor) and I'm just looking for the easiest plant and most floriferious bloomer. New to clematis so I want to start with something easy.

Thoughts? Thanks!
Dee

Comments (12)

  • Campanula UK Z8
    10 years ago

    The jackmannii and Rhapsody are both pruning group 3 (hard pruning in February, flowers on new growth) while Franziska Maria needs light pruning after flowering (group2). IMO, stick with those in group 3 (viticellas, texensis) as they are much easier.
    If you are looking for a foolproof purple, then Polish Spirit is a great clem.

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks campanula! Since I am afraid of pruning, I will follow your advice to start out with the Group 3 - sounds easier to deal with, at least for me. Of course, Franziska Maria was my favorite of the group, but I can live with the others, and I'll check out Polish Spirit as well.

    Thank you,
    Dee

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    Jackmanii is known for being a prolific bloomer and relatively trouble free clematis. Plus, it produces beautiful deep purple flowers that should contrast nicely with the rose.

    Jackmanii is one of the earliest large flowering clematis hybrids and the fact that it is still one of the most popular should be a testament to how satisfactory this vine is.

  • casey1gw
    10 years ago

    Jackmanii is amazing. It covers itself with blooms that seem to last a long time. The blooms on my Polish Spirit are smaller and it's not as prolific.

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks guys. I think for now I will go with the Jackmanii, since it's one of the ones on sale. Sounds like a good clematis to start with!

    Thank you!
    Dee

  • Marie Tulin
    10 years ago

    do you want them to bloom at the same time? my recollection is that ZD blooms) earl9er than Jackmanii, although zd does rebloom lightly throughtout the season.
    However, if you primarily want the trellis or arbor to do double duty maybe it wont matter that they don't overlap.
    However, my memory could be faulty.
    marie

  • linlily
    10 years ago

    Of course I'm late sending this message, but will send it anyway in case someone else reads this thread. I can't recommend Jackmanii enough. This is an easy plant to grow and it blooms most of the summer. I grew it for several years before leaving it when we moved.

    In the spring, I would cut it down to about 10 inches from the ground, feed and re-mulch around it. As the new growth started, I'd help train it around thin rope that I used for it to climb. And in a few weeks - flowers would start. And then I'd enjoy it for weeks and weeks. If I had somewhere to put one now, I'd buy it again.

    Linda

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well! Now I'm torn! I would indeed like the two to bloom at the same time. I certainly have no qualms about the clematis continuing to bloom, but I would like them to bloom at the same time. But it sounds like jackmanii is a great clematis. Oh, decisions, decisions...

    Dee

  • Marie Tulin
    10 years ago

    Hi Dee,
    Please do check the blooming times so my bad memory doesn't lead you astray.
    What ever clematis you plant this spring isn't going to much blooming this season, anyway. You might write down the time ZD blooms then go nursery and garden hopping to see what clems are actually in bloom in"real time". with your rose. You could also post on clematis forum and New England forum, specificy your zone and ask whose clems are blooming and their variety, as your rose is blooming.
    Waiting a month or six weeks to get this info might save disappointment in the future. Of course there are seasonal and weather variations, but I think you'll get a pretty accurate picture of good clem companions.

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No, Marie, you were right! I did check the bloom times after you posted above. I had read earlier some vague descriptions of "early summer", but after you posted, I did a bit more searching and found more specific times of late June to July. ZD blooms either May or June, from what I've read.

    I have also read that ZD continues to bloom all season, although this continuous bloom may be spotty. If it was reliable, then maybe it would work with jackmanii.

    And now, just to make my decision even harder, I came across a jackmanii Superba....

    And this is why I have so many bare spots in my garden. I hate making decisions!

    :)
    Dee

  • Campanula UK Z8
    10 years ago

    I have ZD and a different clem (viticella purpurea plena elegans) although the clem blooms the same time as jackmanii. Zepherine is a fairly early rose and has gone through the entire first flush by the time the clem begins to come on song. In the UK, we rarely get a good second flush with Zephy....but, because I do a summer prune, I do get fantastic new claret coloured growth in July/Aug which will look tremendous with a darker coloured clematis. Mine is a small flowered, deep red and harmonises with the new growth of Zepherine - the deep blue of the Jackmanii would look terrific too.

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    So, I was walking through the arbor where my ZD is, where I want to plant a clematis, and what do I see popping up at the base of the arbor? A clematis! LOL. I forgot I had planted a clematis there. I think it's a roguchi, and I think I plopped it there because it desperately needed to get out of its pot, so it's not a permanent home, at least not yet.

    I did buy the jackmanii. I figure even if I don't pair it with the ZD, it's a good clematis to start with (not counting the roguchi, lol) and I'm sure I will enjoy it wherever I put it.

    Thank you all for your help.

    Dee

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