Interaktywna Encyklopedia Pnącza ogrodowe 2005 - vines in garden > articles about Clematis > Clematis ‘Praecox’ from the Heracleifolia Group


















































 




welcome!






vines in garden






encyclopaedia






our nursery






wholesale offer






links






contact


 






 
growing Clematis


 
articles about Clematis


 
other vines


 
applications of climbers







  
varieties

  
combined table

  
requirements

  
training

  
applications

  
planting

  
maintenance

  
pruning

  
diseases

  
pests

  
frost hardiness





  
Clematis alpina

  
Clematis ‘Bill MacKenzie’

  
Clematis 'Emilia Plater'

  
Clematis Integrifolia Group

  
Clematis ‘Praecox’

  
Clematis Viticella Group
     




  
Actinidia
          




  
on walls, arbors and pergolas

  
on fences and as screeners

  
over natural supports and as ground cover

  
in containers, on balconies and terraces

  
Clematis for cut flowers
      





 you are here:
vines in garden > articles about Clematis > Clematis ‘Praecox’ from the Heracleifolia Group
Clematis ‘Praecox’ from the Heracleifolia Group
Szczepan Marczyński
 









Flowers of Clematis ‘Praecox’ (photo Sz. Marczyński)





Clematis ‘Praecox’ growing on the fence together with Parthenocissus quinquefolia - in summer (photo Sz. Marczyński)





Clematis ‘Praecox’ growing on the fence together with Parthenocissus quinquefolia - in fall (photo Sz. Marczyński)





Clematis ‘Praecox’ on the natural support (photo Sz. Marczyński)





Clematis ‘Praecox’ (photo Sz. Marczyński)





Flowers of Clematis ‘Mrs Robert Brydon’ (photo Sz. Marczyński)






Owing to its
non-clinging habit this remarkable clematis makes an excellent subject for
ground cover. I would like to encourage everyone to learn about its
requirements, history and closest relatives.

Applications. There is no exaggeration in saying that
Clematis
‘Praecox’ (syn.
Clematis jouiniana ‘Praecox’) is the best ground cover clematis
yet bred, highly useful in every garden. When grown without support, in a few
weeks its sprawling stems cover the ground with a thick carpet of leaves,
suppressing weed growth and preventing soil from excessive heat and drying out.
Its shoots can be tied to different types of artificial supports such as bamboo
sticks, stakes, trellises and lattices; left to scramble over coniferous or
deciduous shrubs and trees, or they can raise themselves in a similar fashion
to other perennials. Owning to its rampant growth
Clematis ‘Praecox’ can be
used for screening fences or complementing existing plants (e.g.
Partehenocissus quinquefolia). While meandering among other shrubs, especially compact
ones, it should be controlled every few weeks to prevent it from dominating and
hindering the growth of the host plants. As its stems are thick and only
lightly attached to supports, they can be easily thrown on the ground or cut
out.


Clematis ‘Praecox’ is
perfectly suited for covering both small and large areas of the ground. It’s an
excellent choice for narrow strips of land along the fence, which are often
neglected and grown over with weeds. It will fill the empty space and suppress
weeds without the risk of it getting out of bounds, as all the stems sprawling
onto the road will be cut by wheels of passing cars. It looks charming when
scrambling over the rocks, small palisades, surrounding the base of large
containers or drooping from raised borders.

Origin.
Clematis x
jouiniana was bred in 1900
by a French gardener Simon-Louis Freres as a hybrid between
Clematis
tubulosa (syn.
Clematis davidiana) and
Clematis vitalba, It
inherited vigour, hardinessand ease of culture from
Clematis vitalba,
while its non-clinging, perennial habit, big dark green leaves and the
structure of small hyacinth like flowers bear witness to its kinship with
Clematis tubulosa. The new hybrid has quickly gained appreciation and has
been widely used as ground cover ever since. In 1959 a selected seedling of

Clematis x jouiniana was described and given the name ‘Praecox’.
It is most likely to be a spontaneous crossbreed between
Clematis x jouiniana and
Clematis vitalba, and during the years it was also
known under the names:
Clematis x jouiniana var. praecox,
Clematis x jouiniana ‘Praecox’,
Clematis heracleifolia ‘Praecox’ or
Clematis ‘Jouiniana ‘Praecox’’. The name
Clematis ‘Praecox’ from the
Heracleifolia Group was publicly acknowledged only after The Royal
Horticultural Society published “The International Clematis Register and
Checklist 2002”, compiled by Victoria Matthews. This new cultivar has been very well
received in the gardening society around the world. In 1995 it received the
Award of Garden Merit given by The Royal Horticultural Society to the most
valuable garden plants, and in 1997 the botanical garden in Chicago, after a
several-year trial period of over 60 clematis varieties (large-flowered,
botanical and perennial), gave
Clematis ‘Praecox’ the highest mark thus ranking
it among the finest.

Characteristics. It sends out partially woody, non-vining stems
reaching 3-4 m, with trifoliate, toothed dark green leaves and bunches of small
(3-4 cm across) violet-beige flowers developing in July and August. It shows
many perennial characteristics and may die down to ground level in harsh
winters.
Clematis ‘Praecox’ is quite hardy and undemanding; and it will grow
well both in full sun and partial or even full shade.

Pruning. It can be pruned at any time of the year. During the
vegetation period you should cut or shorten excessively spreading stems. In
early spring (from February to mid-April) remove all withered or damaged stems
and prune back the rest to 10-150 cm depending on the amount of space you have
allotted.

One of the similar
cultivars is
Clematis ‘Mrs Robert Brydon’ from Heracleifolia Group, bred in 1935 in the USA. It
is thought to be a spontaneous hybrid between Clematis tubulosa and Clematis
virginiana (a species naturally growing in the USA, bearing similarity to
native to Europe
Clematis vitalba).
Clematis ‘Mrs Robert Brydon’ is much
less vigorous than Clematis ‘Praecox’. It is non-vining in habit with thick,
but limp stems reaching 1,5-2 m that can either straggle over the ground or
raise themselves leaning against the support. Bright-green leaves, larger than
those of ‘Praecox’ are lustrous in spring. In late summer (July-September)
masses of brightly blue-lavender slightly fragrant flowers with prominent long
beige stamens develop at the tips and upper axils. This cultivar has similar
requirements and applications to Clematis ‘Praecox’, but it’s especially
suitable for covering small areas, close to large bushes or low branching
trees. Its shoots become woody only at the base, so it’s best pruned back in
spring to 0-30 cm from the base.












Flowers of Clematis ‘Mrs Robert Brydon’ (photo Sz. Marczyński)
 





Flowers of Clematis ‘Praecox’ (photo Sz. Marczyński)
 





Clematis ‘Mrs Robert Brydon’ on the natural support (photo Sz. Marczyński)
 




Clematis ‘Praecox’ as ground cover(photo Sz. Marczyński)
 





Clematis ‘Praecox’ as ground cover (photo Sz. Marczyński)
 





Flowers of Clematis ‘Mrs Robert Brydon’ (photo Sz. Marczyński)
 






Clematis ‘Praecox’ on the natural support (photo Sz. Marczyński)
 








see also:

• care and culture of Clematis • Clematis 'Emilia Plater' (Viticella Group) • Clematis alpina • Clematis Integrifolia Group • Clematis Viticella Group • encyclopaedia • advanced search • applications of climbers • encyclopaedia

 

 vines in garden > articles about Clematis > Clematis ‘Praecox’ from the Heracleifolia Group
Last modification: 2005-01-23.

Design and realization of the pages: Grzegorz Marczyński. Website is managed by WMS.
(c) 2005 Szczepan Marczyński - All Rights Reserved - Copying of pictures and text prohibited.