Clematis Barbellata

 

I have been perusing the members area plant profiles and I came across the article on C. Barbellata and thought how beautiful and unusual it was. I have tried to source one, so far without success and wondered whether anyone knew of a nursery that stocked it (preferably that does mail order).  I've tried Hythe-Alpines but they've sold their last one showing any sign of life. Any help would be much appreciated.    

 

Aidan

 

Thanks. I had tried them. They do have one that they think is Barbellata but cannot confirm it - presumably it's never flowered. However Hythe-Alpines got back to me today and some of their Barbellata's that they thought had died are now (last few days) showing strong signs of growth, so I promptly ordered one! It seems very late in producing shoots - is this normal? 

 

Aidan 

 

Really nice photo of the flower.  Is it planted outside - if so what aspect and soil? What do you feed it with? Have you risked feeding it with the ericacious plant food? Magnus and Christopher Grey-Wilson include it in section Bebaeanthera along with C. Japonica obvalata, which is interesting as I have one ready to plant. Are there many similarities between C.Japonica and C. Barbellata in the sense that should they be treated similarly, soilwise, aspectwise, feedingwise etc?   

 

Aidan

 

It's interesting you say the stems are so thin on your C. Barbellata because my C.Japonica var Obvallata stems were also extremely thin when I bought the plant from Crug Farm last October. I pruned the plant when I got it because it didn't look in great shape and I hoped cutting it back would strengthen it. I also fed it a couple of times over winter with some growmore plant food. I kept it in my unheated greenhouse over winter (it's a cedar wood greenhouse and has no draughts).

 

At about the end of January/beginning of February it started developing buds and these started sending out shoots in March. It is now about 14" high (from base of its pot) and growing really fast with very strong stems. I will be planting it out in the next week.

 

I've had a big planting session this weekend and planted my Koriana var Lutea, a napaulensis, a confusa, an acuminata subsp sikkimensis, and a chinnensis (all bought from Crug Farm last October). The only plant I'm having a problem with is an apifolia which I bought from Crug Farm a couple of weeks ago. It has one very weedy stem and every time a shoot develops it dies back . I have got so fed up with it doing this that I repotted it today using a mixture of peat free soil-less compost made from composted bark, grit and some sifted garden soil. As it grows in forests I thought I would try and slightly replicate the soil conditions. Maybe it will do the trick.

 

Aidan       

 

Sorry to post to an old thread, but I just found this discussion while searching for "Clematis Barbellata," which I also have been trying to source for quite a while.

 

Does anybody know where I could obtain this clematis (either plant or seed). I'm living in the USA.

 

Thanks very much!

 

Peppa

 

It seems like this clematis is very hard to find...

 

I hope that you will find one soon and will let us know what the plant looks like!