About
Clematis 'Ben's Beauty' is a vigorous evergreen climber that can grow up to 4 meters tall. It features dark green leaves that are irregularly toothed and lobed. In spring, it produces nodding, bell-shaped flowers that range in color from purple to deep red, each adorned with wavy white margins. These blooms can attain a diameter of up to 12 centimeters.
About the genus
Clematis includes a variety of plants, ranging from deciduous and evergreen shrubs to herbaceous perennials. Many of these species are climbers, utilizing twining leaf stalks for support, and they frequently produce prominent flowers. In the fall, certain varieties develop appealing fluffy seed heads.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Climber Wall Shrub
- Habit
- Climbing
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 2.5-4 metres
- Spread
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
- Toxicity
- Skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (rabbits): Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in full sun or partial shade in containers (at least 45cm deep and wide) or in the ground, in cool, moisture-retentive, well-drained soil, with the crown 5-8cm deep to encourage new shoots to grow from below ground level; keep the base of the plant and the roots cool and shaded by other plants or a layer of pebbles or flat stones; for more advice, see clematis cultivation
- Pruning
- Clematis pruning: group one
- Propagation
- Propagate by internodal leaf-bud semi-ripe cuttings taken from spring to late summer, or by layering from late winter to spring
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to aphids, capsid bug, caterpillars, and glasshouse red spider mite; flowers may be damaged by earwigs; young shoots are vulnerable to slugs and snails; container-grown plants may be susceptible to vine weevil
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), clematis wilt and clematis slime flux