Clematis 'Niobe'

It has prominent dark red flowers that are 5" to 6" across! It is a heavy bloomer from late spring to late summer. This clematis is considered to be one of the best reds on the market with its velvety sepal and vigorous growing habit. Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 1993. Clematis Niobe was developed by Wladyslaw Noll in Poland in the 1970s and has become a favorite large flowered hybrid clematis all over the world. Niobe has the curious trait of behaving like a type 3 pruning group clematis when hard pruned. That is, it will delay blooming if hard-pruned instead of being lightly pruned as usual (for type 2). The colors of Clematis Niobe is often described as being garnet rather than red. As with any plant, the flowers will be affected by climate and site as well as time of year. In general, Niobe should be considered a solid performer and an asset to any garden. We have grown it in the ground and containers where it has grown quite well and flowered even when in lower light conditions.

For its hardy, manageable habit and its quantities of large, opulent long blooming flowers amid green tapered deciduous leaves, this celebrated Clematis earned the coveted RHS award in 1993 and worldwide notoriety. Single and flat-faced, nearly 6 in. wide blooms showcase 6 to 8 rich as velvet, ruby-red tepals, which are broad at the base, narrowing toward the tip and clutched in the center by sprightly yellow stamens, while aging to the color of a fine red wine. Poland's Wladyslaw Noll bred 'Niobe' whose compact form can be partnered with climbing roses or featured as a regal specimen in a mixed bed or in a container.

Large velvety red flowers June-Sept. Good in containers. Prune Feb-Mar cutting back to buds at 18". Hardy to Zone 4.

Deep ruby red flowers with yellow anthers that flowers from summer through early autumn. [Group B/C, June - September, 8']