‘Clematis Vancouver Fragrant Star’ is a garden plant cherished for its captivating presence and delightful attributes. This vine brings a unique appeal to various garden settings, transforming spaces into fragrant havens. Its name reflects its notable scent and distinctive flower shape, offering a blend of visual beauty and aromatic charm.
Distinctive Features
‘Clematis Vancouver Fragrant Star’ has a light vanilla or citrusy scent, enhancing its appeal near seating areas or entryways. Its pure white, star-shaped flowers measure 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) across. Each bloom is adorned with striking deep red or purplish-crimson stamens at its center, providing vivid contrast against the white petals.
This clematis offers a prolonged blooming period, flowering in late spring to early summer, and re-blooming in early fall, often continuing into September. As a deciduous climbing vine, it reaches a mature height of 6 to 9 feet (2-3 meters) and spreads 2 to 4 feet wide. The plant is hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 8, and sometimes up to zone 9, thriving across a broad range of climates.
Planting Guidelines
‘Clematis Vancouver Fragrant Star’ thrives with its foliage and flowers in full sun, receiving at least six hours of sunlight daily. Its roots, however, prefer to remain cool and shaded. This balance can be achieved by planting a small shrub or large perennial in front of its base, or by placing flat stones around the root zone to provide shade and conserve moisture.
The plant performs best in well-drained, lightly alkaline soil, ideally with a pH range between 5.5 and 7.0. Amending the soil with compost or other organic matter enhances its quality and provides beneficial nutrients. When planting, set the clematis deeper than it was in its original pot, 3 to 6 inches (8-15 cm) below the soil surface, burying the first set of leaves to encourage robust stem development from below ground.
As a climbing vine, ‘Clematis Vancouver Fragrant Star’ requires a support structure like a trellis, arbor, fence, or wall. The plant climbs by twining its stems and leaf petioles around available narrow supports. After planting, provide deep and regular watering during the first growing season to establish a strong root system.
Routine Care
Water ‘Clematis Vancouver Fragrant Star’ deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry, especially during active growth and dry spells. While it prefers consistent moisture, ensure the soil does not become waterlogged, as standing water can be detrimental. Clematis grown in containers may require more frequent watering than those in the garden.
Fertilization supports vigorous growth and abundant flowering. Begin feeding in spring with a low-nitrogen fertilizer (e.g., 5-10-5) when new buds are about 2 inches long. Alternate with a balanced liquid fertilizer (e.g., 10-10-10) every four to six weeks through late summer. For container plants, a monthly rose or high-potassium tomato feed can be used until mid-September.
Applying mulch around the plant’s base offers several advantages: it conserves soil moisture, keeps roots cool, and suppresses weed growth. ‘Clematis Vancouver Fragrant Star’ shows moderate resistance to leaf spot and high resistance to powdery mildew, though it has low resistance to root rot.
Pruning Techniques
‘Clematis Vancouver Fragrant Star’ belongs to pruning Group 2. This means it produces blooms on both old wood from the previous season and new growth.
Perform a light pruning in late winter or early spring. Remove any dead or spindly wood and trim stems back to the first visible buds. Avoid removing too much healthy old wood, as this produces the initial flush of blooms.
After the first wave of flowers fades, a second pruning can encourage repeat blooms later in the season. Cut stems back by one-third to one-half, just above large buds or strong side shoots below the spent blooms.
Addressing Common Problems
A lack of blooms, despite healthy growth, can be attributed to a nutrient imbalance, particularly excess nitrogen, which encourages foliage growth at the expense of flowers.
A fungal disease known as Clematis Wilt causes sudden wilting and collapse of stems, often as flower buds open. Affected stems and leaves may blacken, and leaf veins can develop a purple discoloration. While severe, the plant’s roots typically survive, and it can often recover by sending up new shoots from the base in subsequent growing seasons.
To manage Clematis Wilt, promptly cut back any affected stems below ground level and dispose of the infected material away from the garden. Prevent the disease by avoiding injury to stems and roots, and promoting good air circulation. While no chemical cure exists once infected, some fungicides may offer prevention.