I have a clematis planted near my white post mailbox which it uses for support as it grows in the spring . It is so pretty when it is in bloom that I wish it would bloom all spring and all summer long. Throughout the summer it may get a few more blooms here and there, but it’s no where near the amount it has in the spring.
So I was so happy to discover another clematis that blooms from late spring through early fall. Yay! It’s name is ‘Empress’ Clematis, and though it is said to technically be a rebloomer (usually meaning sporadic blooms after the season’s initial flowering, as mine does), it is suppose to have a steady flow of flowers throughout the summer into fall. Does that sound too good to be true?
Source: Parkseed
‘Empress’ clematis has a wide (4”-5”) light purple-pink flower with a stripe along the length of the petals. It has a frilly full center, and the flowers appear against medium green leaves. The colors in these photos are fairly different – perhaps it is due to surrounding light, or the stage of the bloom.
Source: Wayside Gardens
It grows 5’ to 6’ in height, by 3’ wide, so it sound perfect for a trellis, arbor, or trailing on the top rail of a white picket fence! This clematis is hardy in zones 4-9, likes full sun to partial sun, and is said to be deer and rabbit resistant.
Most clematis do best when their tops get sun, and their roots stay cool. A little extra mulch around the soil over the roots can help to keep it cooler.
‘Empress’ clematis is a Evison introduction, named after the British grower who has developed many long-blooming clematis, including some double (more petals) clematis!
What yard won’t benefit from a long blooming clematis? That’s a good thing in my book!
~M
Happy to see this clematis reblooms for you. It looks a great deal like clematic ‘Josephine’ which blooms only once in the spring. I love the look of the flower, the layered look.