Bourbon Clematis

Clematis ‘Bourbon’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 4a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Flowering Vine

Height or Length at Maturity: 4-6′

Width at Maturity: 2-3′
Spacing: 3′ apart to cover fences and walls

Growth Habit / Form: Climbing, Dense, Twining, Twisted Branching

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: Raspberry Red
Flower Type: Single

Flower Size: Large, 5-6″
Flowering Period: Almost continuously from Summer to Fall

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun, Part Shade, All Day Lightly Filtered Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (Amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sandy, Silt

Soil Drainage: Moist but Well Drained

Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.0

Maintenance / Care: Low

Pruning Group: 2

Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Beneficial Pollinators, Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Heat, Humidity, Insect

Description

One of the heaviest rebloomers we’ve grown and an awesome color that stands out remarkably in the garden, the Bourbon Clematis boasts a huge abundance of large, 5 to 6 inch diameter flowers in a deep shade of raspberry red with a lighter bar down the middle of each petal. A contrasting frilly yellow center adds to the show. The flowers are riveting when cut and floated in a bowl of water, but on the plant they are nothing short of amazing, so disproportionate is their size of the flower to the length of the vine! Repeating heavily all summer, you won’t regret planting this one!

Landscape & Garden Uses

Climbing 4 to 6 feet high and spreading 2 to 3 feet or more in width, the Bourbon Clematis is ideal for growing on fences, trellises, arches, mailbox pots, obelisks, poles, lamp posts and other structures. Excellent for pots, planters and other containers for situating on patios, decks and around other outdoor living spaces where the amazing flowers can be viewed from close up. A fine addition to Clematis gardens and red theme gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart to cover fences, trellises, and walls

Growing Preferences

This Clematis is easy to grow in a moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and full sun to part shade. Though it tolerates dry periods when established, it will appreciate an occasional watering in prolonged periods of dry weather. Make sure not to plant this one too deep as it tends to smother the plant. See pruning instructions just below.

Clematis Pruning Group 2

Clematis in Group 2 consist of all the early, large-flowered hybrid clematis that bloom in late spring or early summer and maybe again in late summer. Clematis in this group should be pruned lightly in late winter or early spring. Pruning consists of removing weak and crossing shoots then thinning down the plant to a structure of evenly spaced one and two year old stems. Cut each stem just above a pair of healthy buds. Plants in this group have the tendency to become bare at the base as they mature. You can under-plant with small shrubs or perennials to help conceal the bare stems. Alternatively, you can often force a flush of new growth from the base by cutting the vine back to 18 inches immediately after the flush of bloom.

An alternate method of pruning Group 2 clematis is to prune only every three or four years. In this case, the clematis should be pruned as described for Group 3 Clematis. This will produce a weak first flush of flowers in the summer after pruning.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Clematis vines

How To Plant A Clematis

How To Prune A Clematis

Plant Long & Prosper!

Questions? Contact Us!

Very nice clematis plants. Packaging done well, and can’t wait to see that beautiful color. Thanks again————————————-You’re welcome. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy your purchase for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I have purchased 2 of these lovely beauties. I was very pleased that one of them had a bloom already. I would definitely purchase from you again.————————————————-Thanks for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG