Pruning Your Clematis

Pruning Type	Characteristics	Examples
Group 1 No pruning necessary	These species produce flowers on old stems. Pruning is only necessary when you want to control the plant's shape and size. When you do prune these, do so immediately after flowering to avoid disrupting next year's bloom cycle.	C. alpina C. armondii C. macropetala C. montana C. vitalba
Group 2 Moderate Pruning: Prune these vines in early spring, before new growth emerges. Begin by removing any dead or weak stems, then cut back the remaining stems so that a few pairs of large buds remain on each.	These are mostly large-flowered hybrids that bloom in early summer from the previous season's growth, then again in late summer from newer growth. The second round of blooms may be smaller (or single if the first blooms were double).	Asao, Blue Ravine, Bourbon, Cardinal Wyszynski, Corinne, Diamantina, Diana's Delight, Dr. Rupple, Duchess of Edinburgh, Fleuri, General Sikorski, Gillian Blades, Guernsey Cream, H. F. Young, Henryi, Miss Bateman, Languinosa Candida, Multi Blue, Nelly Moser, Niobe, Patricia Ann Fretwell, Piilu (aka Little Duckling), Pink Champagne, Pink Fantasy, Ramona, Rebecca, Sapphire Indigo, Silver Moon, The PResident, Wasaw Nike, Westerplatte, Will Goodwin
Group 3 Hard Pruning: In early spring, cut old stems down to about 12" high to allow for a fresh start. This encourages uniform growth and flower coverage. If the old stems of these varieties are left to their own devices the bottom 6-10 feet of vine becomes bare while leaves and flowers are born in a wild, tabled mass at the vines extemities.	Plants in this group are vigorous growers whose flowers are born on new growth.	C. integrifolia, C. heracleifolia, C. paniculata (Sweet Autumn), C. recta, C. tangutica, C. texensis, C. viticella Allanah, Avant-Garde, Bernadine, Betty Corning, Blue Angel, Comtesse de Bouchaude, Ernest Markham, Etoille Rose, Hagley Hybrid, Jackmanii, New Love, Princess Diana, Polish Spirit, Roguchi, Sweet Summer Love, The Countess of Wessex, Ville de Lyon, Volunteer

Pruning Type

Characteristics

Examples

Group 1

No pruning necessary

These species produce flowers on old stems. Pruning is only necessary when you want to control the plant's shape and size. When you do prune these, do so immediately after flowering to avoid disrupting next year's bloom cycle.

C. alpina

C. armondii

C. macropetala

C. montana

C. vitalba

Group 2

Moderate Pruning:

Prune these vines in early spring, before new growth emerges. Begin by removing any dead or weak stems, then cut back the remaining stems so that a few pairs of large buds remain on each.

These are mostly large-flowered hybrids that bloom in early summer from the previous season's growth, then again in late summer from newer growth. The second round of blooms may be smaller (or single if the first blooms were double).

Asao, Blue Ravine, Bourbon, Cardinal Wyszynski, Corinne, Diamantina, Diana's Delight, Dr. Rupple, Duchess of Edinburgh, Fleuri, General Sikorski, Gillian Blades, Guernsey Cream, H. F. Young, Henryi, Miss Bateman, Languinosa Candida, Multi Blue, Nelly Moser, Niobe, Patricia Ann Fretwell, Piilu (aka Little Duckling), Pink Champagne, Pink Fantasy, Ramona, Rebecca, Sapphire Indigo, Silver Moon, The PResident, Wasaw Nike, Westerplatte, Will Goodwin

Group 3

Hard Pruning:

In early spring, cut old stems down to about 12" high to allow for a fresh start. This encourages uniform growth and flower coverage. If the old stems of these varieties are left to their own devices the bottom 6-10 feet of vine becomes bare while leaves and flowers are born in a wild, tabled mass at the vines extemities.

Plants in this group are vigorous growers whose flowers are born on new growth.

C. integrifolia, C. heracleifolia, C. paniculata (Sweet Autumn), C. recta, C. tangutica, C. texensis, C. viticella

Allanah, Avant-Garde, Bernadine, Betty Corning, Blue Angel, Comtesse de Bouchaude, Ernest Markham, Etoille Rose, Hagley Hybrid, Jackmanii, New Love, Princess Diana, Polish Spirit, Roguchi, Sweet Summer Love, The Countess of Wessex, Ville de Lyon, Volunteer

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