Clematis 'The President'

Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit

Bring rich color and graceful height to your garden with Clematis 'The President'. This classic deciduous vine produces violet-blue flowers up to 7 inches across, with overlapping petals, silvery undersides, and contrasting pinkish-red anthers. A generous display in late spring is followed by a second flush in late summer or early fall.

Dark green foliage creates a handsome backdrop as 'The President' climbs a trellis, arbor, or fence. Pair it with a climbing rose for an elegant combination of color and form, or let it weave through a shrub border. It also thrives in a large container with climbing support. Be patient as plants establish; growth typically becomes more vigorous by the third season.

Cold hardy to Zone 4, 'The President' prefers full sun to part shade and fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Follow the traditional clematis advice: ?feet in the shade, head in the sun.? Give the foliage ample sunlight while keeping roots cool with mulch or low-growing companion plants. Provide good air circulation, shelter from strong winds, and drainage that prevents waterlogged roots.

A Group 2 clematis, 'The President' blooms on both old and new growth. Prune lightly in late winter or early spring, removing dead or weak stems and cutting back to the highest pair of healthy buds. Preserve strong stems for the spring display, and loosely tie growing vines to their support.

Ideal for: Arbors, pergolas, trellises, fences, shrub borders, and large containers.