Blue Light® Clematis

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

5-8 Feet

Mature Spread

2-3 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 9

This exceptional award-winner delightfully illustrates why clematis is often called the queen of the flowering vines. Its unique, dahlia-like blossoms measure 5-6 inches. The sepals of these large, double flowers are colored pale blue to blue/violet. An early bloomer, from May to June, it may rebloom in late summer. It climbs 5-6 feet and spreads 3-6 feet, providing vertical interest in your garden. It is attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Blue Light® Clematis has a compact and climbing habit. It has no serious insect pests, and it resists deer and rabbits. Grow it up a trellis placed in a border or on a wall. It is the perfect companion plant for trees and shrubs; it is stunning when intertwined with roses. You may grow this vine in a container with an obelisk or trellis for support. Blue Light® makes a pretty cut flower.

Blue Light® Clematis Care

Backfill a generous sized planting hole with a soil and compost mix. Plant the crown 1-2 inches below the soil surface. Water well and mulch with 2-3 inches of organic material such as shredded bark. Clematis prefer their roots to be moist and cool at all times – it is why we say clematis like shady feet. You may plant low-growing perennials around the base for shade.

After planting, trim the plant to 12 inches or a pair of new buds to encourage branching. You may need to help your young clematis begin to vine as they don’t have tendrils – simply twist their leaf stalks around the supports. Fertilize at planting time and then each spring with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10). Your Blue Light® will thrive with six hours of sunlight. It prefers soil with slightly acidic-to-neutral pH.

Blue Light Clematis is in pruning group 2 and considered a rebloomer. It blooms on old and new wood. Flowers appear on old wood in May and June and on new wood in late summer. Little pruning is needed. In early spring, prune out the dead wood. Mulch in winter to protect the crown. You may need to insulate containers or move them to a sheltered spot at the beginning of winter.

Blue Light® Clematis Spacing

You can grow your clematis climbing up a trellis or obelisk, or up a tree or shrub. When planting near a non-living support, such as a trellis, allow at least 1 foot between the support and the plant. When using a living support, such as a tree, locate the vine at least two feet away. If you are using a container, select one that is as large as possible for your plant.

Images courtesy of NGA goldfinch4, public domain.