Dr. Ruppel Clematis

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

8-10 Feet

Mature Spread

2-3 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 8

Bringing your garden’s beauty to another level, ‘Dr. Ruppel’ Clematis shows off repeatedly and with gusto. Beginning in late spring large six- to eight-inch flowers emerge, in carmine edged with rose. Not content with a single show, free-flowering ‘Dr. Ruppel ‘does it all again in late summer, sending your season off with a bang. This clematis grows lustily to eight to ten feet tall, but only one to two feet wide.

Like the rest of the clematis family, ‘Dr. Ruppel’ resists rabbit and deer, while delighting a host of pollinators, from bees and butterflies to hummingbirds. The seed heads sometimes host hummingbird nests! Given some support, it will make a spectacular focal point in a border, or twining up a trellis or obelisk.

Dr. Ruppel Clematis Care

The best spot for a clematis is a sunny one, but with a little shade at its base, in the form of mulch or a small (shallow-rooted) plant. Dr. Ruppel will still put on a great show in partial shade, however, flowering may be reduced, and coloring not as vivid.

You’ll want to plant ‘Dr. Ruppel’ about two inches lower than he was originally set in his growers’ pot to protect him from winter cold and clematis wilt. Remember if you are growing next to a larger width support, like a fence post, add a bamboo stake, line of twine, or wire to let the vine twine up and get established. The soil should be consistently moist, but never soggy. Take care to water during dry spells the first two years particularly.

For nutrients, you can just top off the soil with a handful of aged cow manure or compost each spring. If you really want to maximize the show, try either one application of slow-release fertilizer in the spring, or a monthly application of liquid types beginning in April and stopping in July. Since he blooms both on old and new growth, pruning for ‘Dr. Ruppel,’ in clematis pruning “Group 2,” consists just of a little off the top in spring – perhaps a foot – after nixing any dead or broken bits and stems.

Dr. Ruppel Clematis Spacing

You’ll want to allow approximately 24 inches for your clematis, although you can plant a non-aggressive companion slightly closer for shading as mentioned above.