The Duchess of Cornwall™ Clematis

Light Needs

Part Sun to Full Sun

(5+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

4-5 Feet

Mature Spread

4-5 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 9

You would be hard pressed to find an easier clematis than the newly introduced Duchess of Cornwall™. The exceedingly large petaled flowers are a deep blue-purple hue that provides an understated elegance for short pergolas, trellises, and obelisks. Place this gorgeous climber near a seating area or walkway where the many pollinator visitors can be seen. Beneficial insects, native bees, and hummingbirds cannot resist the wide open shape and sweet nectar of the long-lasting flowers. 

Clematis uvaria ‘Duchess of Cornwall’  is a group 3 Clematis and requires minimal seasonal maintenance. Deer rarely browse on the woody stems or rough leaves, although they may be tempted to taste a scrumptious flower or two. While most gardeners expect to find Clematis vines growing up arches or other supports, they also work as trailing plants in large planters filled with other seasonal bloomers.

The Duchess of Cornwall™ Clematis Care

Clematises prefer their heads in the sun and feet in the shade. This means that they thrive when planted in full sun with lower-growing plants to help shade and cool their root zone. Try pairing them with cottage garden classics like peonies or shasta daisies, or consider more modern-looking plants such as low-growing ornamental grasses or edible plants like herbs. 

Keep this clematis well watered during the blooming period for a display of color that lasts for a long time. Fertilize plants using a granular, slow-release feed early in the spring after pruning to support steady growth all season long. Mulching seasonally with arborist chips or shredded leaves will suppress annual weeds and enrich the soil around clematis

The type 3 clematis is the easiest of all to prune. Cut back all top growth to within 12 inches of the soil late in the winter or early spring. This clematis flowers on new growth and will continue flowering well into the fall. Deadheading will help to remove any seed heads but is not entirely necessary. Hybrid cultivars are not particularly aggressive self-seeders, and the fuzzy seed heads add texture later in the fall as the foliage turns shades of orange and red. 

The Duchess of Cornwall™ Clematis Spacing

The Duchess of Cornwall™ has a narrow spread of 12-16 inches, making it easy to incorporate into an established garden bed or maintain in a decorative container. Plant perennials or shallow-rooted shrubs 12 inches from the base of the clematis to allow good air circulation and ground coverage. Containers will need to have a 16-inch diameter or greater to allow space for adding other trailing or filler plants.

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