Clematis in the wild has 14 species and is distributed almost throughout the globe. Most of them are woody, but there are also herbaceous specimens. As for garden varieties, of which there are about 3 hundred, they are mostly hybrid. More often found in the form of vines with beautiful flowers of different shades. Gardeners use them to decorate individual flower beds, fences or arbors. These predominantly perennial plants reproduce more often vegetatively, but growing clematis from seeds is often practiced. True, some varieties require further vaccination.
Clematis species
Garden clematis, numbering about 300 different varieties, is divided into 6 groups.
- The first, called Zhakmana, includes fairly large lianas, reaching 4 or more meters with largeflowers, predominantly purple hues, appearing in the summer.
- The second group, Patens, has very showy (up to 15 cm in diameter), often double single flowers. They appear on last year's shoots, can be both light and bright purple.
- Florida group combines plants with very different, mostly light colors. Such clematis bloom in late spring or early summer.
- Lanuginosa is a medium-sized liana (up to 2.5 m).
- Clematis with bell-shaped flowers are united in the Integrifolia group. Among them there are both curly and ordinary shrubs. Bluebells, mostly large, appear on shoots in summer.
- Medium-sized pink-red vines are Viticella.
Natural clematis
In addition to garden clematis, wild clematis are often found in exterior decoration.
- Common clematis, naturally growing in the Crimea, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Western Europe, belongs to heat-loving climbing shrubs. In winter, it requires shelter, as it does not tolerate frost well.
- Alpine clematis, native to Central Europe, is more resistant to harsh climates. It is a medium-sized tree vine.
Cultivation of clematis
With the right approach, the shrub quickly takes root in a new place and pleases others with itsdelicate flowers already in the first year of planting in the ground. Beginning gardeners tend to find growing clematis from seed troublesome and prefer to buy young shrubs. Most clematis root well if the shoot is buried in the ground. Therefore, reproduction by layering is often used. This must be done in the spring before flowering, in order to get new formed shrubs by frost. Planting clematis with seeds, depending on the time of year, is carried out either directly in the ground or in separate containers for wintering indoors.
Propagation of different varieties
As a rule, growing clematis from seeds is successful if you choose small-flowered species that are closest to wild ones. The more complex the hybrid, the less likely the event will be successful. Some large-flowered varieties are impossible to obtain at home in principle. They are bought in nurseries as seedlings or young shrubs.
One of the most common clematis in temperate climates is Manchurian clematis. Growing from seeds of this variety is quite successful, since it is as close as possible to the wild variety. Liana is frost-resistant and, although its flowers are not too large and catchy (mostly white), it looks very elegant.
Fans of bright bluebells can recommend Tangut clematis. Growing from seeds of this variety is a more complicated process, but quite possible. Gardeners appreciate it for frost resistance, flowering duration and the ability to plantin pots or tubs. Tangut clematis is a climbing vine, so it needs a stable support. Yellow clematis bells appear at the end of May and continue to delight others until autumn, sometimes intermittently.
Another popular cold-resistant clematis is Helios. Growing from seeds of this variety is quite popular. But this should be done either indoors or indoors, since this clematis is frost-resistant only in a mature plant.
If you sow clematis seeds with large double flowers, they will surely sprout, grow, but will not repeat all the beauty of the mother shrub. Such clematis require complex vaccination and, with generative reproduction in everyday life, they simply degenerate. So it's better to buy ready-made shrubs.
How and when the seeds are harvested
Depending on the plant variety, they can ripen in summer or early autumn. If you are thinking about how to grow clematis from seeds, they should, of course, be collected and prepared first. Their size and appearance largely depend on the plant variety. But even on one shrub, large, medium and small seeds can appear. Therefore, the first thing to do after collecting them is to sort them by size. Large and medium ones should be planted separately, and small ones should be thrown away. Sometimes store-bought planting material is used. In this case, sorting is not required. Clematis seeds can be planted outdoors in spring or indoors (greenhouse) in autumn. In order for germination to be good, and seedlings to be strong andresistant to disease, it is necessary to stratify (harden) the material. During spring planting, this is achieved simply by proper storage (in a dark place at a temperature of about +5 degrees), and during winter it is best to keep them in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. In this way, an imitation of the natural environment will be recreated, in which clematis seeds are planted in late summer or early autumn (they fall off the plants), after which they hibernate, covered only with foliage and snow.
Soil and watering
Growing clematis from seeds is best done in special boxes. In the spring they can be left on the street, and in the winter they will fit perfectly on the windowsill or loggia. The soil for seedlings needs nutritious. The ideal option is a mixture of humus, sand, earth and ash. Clematis sprout for quite a long time - from 3 weeks to 3 months, depending on the variety and conditions. All this time, the soil must be periodically moistened, but not poured. For those who first carry out the sowing of clematis, Manchurian clematis is recommended for the experiment. Growing from seeds of this particular variety gives a guaranteed result (of course, if the seedlings are not poured and frozen). And already with a successful combination of circumstances, you can take on more capricious varieties.
The ideal planting depth should be 2-3 times the size of the seed itself. From above it is best to fill it with clean river sand and lightly tamp. Through the sand it is easier for the escape to break out.
Ground transplanting
If clematis are sown in autumn, then by mid-spring they will just be ready to move to a permanent place. This should be done only after the threat of night frost has passed, since young plants are unstable to cold weather, regardless of their variety. A place for planting should be chosen based on the fact that most clematis love the light, and it is better to leave their root part in the shade. And, of course, we must not forget that the vines curl, and therefore, they need good support. When choosing a landing site, you must also make sure that it is as protected from the wind as clematis is sensitive to drafts.
Growing clematis from seeds in the spring suggests that the seedlings will be ready for the fall. It is best to leave young shrubs in a box and keep them warm until the end of winter. But you can land in the ground in the fall. In this case, clematis should be well insulated so that they do not freeze. This is done with straw or film, depending on climatic conditions.
Vaccination
Many experienced gardeners are interested in how to grow clematis with large double flowers from seeds. Some consider this event obviously doomed to failure and prefer to simply buy a bush. For others, it may be a matter of principle. Capricious varieties from seeds, as a rule, are not grown, but are grafted onto more resistant species. It is better to do this in pots, covering the plant with a jar, which is removed after the cuttings grow together. They are planted in a permanent placeonly next spring. Clematis is grafted in any of the ways, the main thing is to do it quickly so that the cut points do not have time to dry out. More successful results give greener cuttings.
Growing in pots
Most types of clematis feel good if they are not planted in open ground, but in a container with soil. In this case, for the winter, the plant can be covered in warmth, and with the onset of spring, it can be taken out into the street. A pot for clematis should be chosen large (at least 20 liters). For the formation of the plant, it is necessary to use a stable support. Every 3-4 years the vine is transplanted. Potted clematis should be watered and fertilized regularly.
Clematis are wonderful decorative vines that will decorate any open space. They are not very whimsical, there are even frost-resistant varieties. And you can grow them both in open ground and in flower pots.
