We have five clematis’ (what IS the plural of “clematis”? Clemata?) growing up the posts of the covered terrace, and while most of them are what I think of as the “normal” clematis variety, i.e. the jackmanii type or similar, one of them is a little bit different.
First of all it’s not purple like the rest of the clematis’ (clemati?) growing along the covered terrace; it has yellow flowers with a bell shape that is very different from the flat flowers of the other clematis’ (clemata?) and only four petals.
The first year we planted it, it did very little at all. Whatever growth it managed to put on was swiftly devoured by slugs, so I really thought of it as a failure. The next year, however, it grew and grew, but produced only 3 flowers over the entire season, so I was beginning to think I might have put it in the wrong spot; it is in The Evening Border, so it only gets sunshine at the very end of the day.
This year, though, it has decided to both grow and flower:
The flowers aren’t as showy as on the other clematis’ (clemati?), but they are definitely there. Loads of them.
The flowers have a very elegant bell-shape that is very different from our other clematis’ (clemate?) and they look rather striking against the lush green growth.
I still wonder, though, if it might be happier in a sunnier spot, but for now it will stay where it is. Apart from anything, we don’t HAVE another place where it will fit at present…
Anyway, if any of you happen to know the name of this clematis, feel free to let me know. We bought this plant ourselves, but instantly threw away the name tag… -And it has annoyed me ever since!
It’s Clematis tangutica :o)
Cool! Thank you for the ID!
Hi Soren, Yes, almost bound to be c.tangutica (much admired for seed heads, not so much for flowers). Etymology of Clematis is Greek, so probably Clemates – although I have never heard this used. More common to use clematis for both plural & singular…’I have three clematis…’
I think the flowers are rather lovely, actually, but I will pay attention to the seed heads later in summer.
I suspected that it would be the analysis / analyses model of plural, but of course I didn’t think about the etymology, which would have made me quite sure. Thanks for the help!
Oh, kininvie beat me to the word nerd response. Indeed, in Greek, the plural of a word ending in “is” is usually to change the i to an e, which would be clemates. But I’ve never heard anyone use that plural (maybe they do in Greece??). I usually also just use the word clematis for both singular and plural.
The fact that your C. tangutica suddenly took off this year gives me hope for the C. viticella that I planted last year and that seems to be sulking this year.
Some plants seem to just take longer to get used to a new place in Life, so there’s hope for your viticella, I’m sure.
And I know I’d always just use “clematis” in speech, but in writing it sort of bothered me, because it just wasn’t right.
I am pretty certain you have Clematis ‘tangutica’ like kininvie mentioned. The bloom time is right now. It does need more sun to get full of bloom. The bells cover this plant. I just got back from Maine, and wanted to say thank you for visiting GWGT while I was away.
Maybe it will get full sun some day, but it won’t be this year, I think. (But I have a somewhat dull tree in mind where it might eventually be moved to, so it can ramble through the branches… I think that might be pretty.)
I love the clematis and would bet it likes more sun as well…for the plural I default to Jean…but I also use clematis as singular and plural…
It is very pretty, and I’m actually looking for more yellows for the garden, so if it could bloom more in a different position I might very well move it come spring.
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