Peter Knippel Garden Centre Plant Finder

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

This interesting bush variety produces large, blue , nodding flowers with contrasting cream stamens; perfect for beds and patio containers; non-vining, may benefit from staking or support from nearby plants

Ornamental Features

Stand By Me Bush Clematis features delicate nodding blue star-shaped flowers with creamy white eyes at the ends of the branches from late spring to late summer, which emerge from distinctive deep purple flower buds. It has green deciduous foliage. The compound leaves do not develop any appreciable fall colour.

Landscape Attributes

Stand By Me Bush Clematis is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. It is a Type 2 clematis, which means it will bloom primarily on old wood of the previous season, with a second flush later in summer. Dead and weak vines should be removed in late winter, and remaining vines should be trimmed back to the first buds that are seen to remove dead stems. It is a good choice for attracting bees and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Stand By Me Bush Clematis is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Stand By Me Bush Clematis will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Stand By Me Bush Clematis makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.