This is the time of year when the Atragene Group of the genus Clematis are in their full glory. This bundle of species (Clematis alpina, chiisanensis, fauriei, koreana, macropetala, siberica + more) used to have their own genus, Atragene, and us “clemateers” still think of them as a distinct horticultural unit. In western Oregon they flower prolifically in late March and some carry on well into May, and then many will repeat bloom at least once, and often three times, during the growing season. With careful management, we have April again in August.
We are grateful that Brewster started collecting when he did, and was able to import clematis from people such as Magnus Johnson, in Sweden. As you would expect, the Atragenes do very well in such climates, with the hardiest, Clematis siberica, being comfortable down to zone 3. One of Magnus’ introductions, now called ‘Clochette Pride’ is a real favorite with our Founder, the Curator, and our volunteers. It was originally called ‘Campanulina Plena’, but the modern use of latinized cultivar names is forbidden in most circumstances by the International Code of Nomenclature (or as some say, nomenclutter), so Magnus, who loved botanical Latin, had to rename many of his introductions.
There are numerous Atragene Group seedlings in our Test Plot. Pictured below is one we have named and are propagating, ‘Killdeer’. It gets its name from the fact that in the previous test plot location at Luscher Farm, we had Killdeer nest under it. It has been in the new site one winter, and now seems thoroughly settled and producing masses of lovely flowers. ‘Killdeer’ had an amazingly long bloom period last summer, from April to mid-August.
In the greenhouse (we are about 2 weeks from peak LFH bloom):
‘Betty Risdon’
‘Blue Light’
BOURBON
‘Burma Star’
‘Dawn’
EMPRESS
‘Guernsey Cream’
‘H. F. Young’
JOSEPHINE
‘Julita’
LIBERATION
‘Maria Louise Jensen’
‘Matilda’
‘Mrs. P. B. Truax’
‘Pink Cameo’
REBECCA
‘Reiman’ (pictured)
‘Saturn’
VERSAILLES
Greenhouse Montana Group (peak bloom now):
‘Broughton Star’
‘Elizabeth’
‘Fragrant Spring’
‘Freda’
‘Marjorie’
‘Picton’s Variety’
‘Pleniflora’
‘Tsunami Child’ (very long period of bloom)
montana ‘Alexander’
montana var. grandiflora
montana ‘Peveril’
montana var. rubens ‘Pink Perfection’
montana var. rubens ‘Tetrarose’
montana var. rubens ‘Rubens Superba’
spooneri
On the Terrace:
Atragenes in peak bloom
alpina ‘Pamela Jackman’
‘Ballerina in Blue’
‘Ballet Skirt’
‘Blue Dancer’
‘Blue Jay’
‘Blushing Ballerina’
‘Broughton Bride’
‘Cecile’
‘Clochette Pride’ (pictured)
‘Esprit’
‘Foxy’
‘Francesca’
‘Jacqueline de Pre’
‘Jan Lindmark’
macropetala ‘Helsingborg’
macropetala ‘Maidwell Hall’
macropetala ‘Mountaindale’
‘Pauline’
‘Riga’
‘Rosy Pagoda’
‘White Lady’
‘Willy’
Along the Terrace Walk:
x cartmanii ‘Joe’
cirrhosa var. balearica
cirrhosa var. balearica ‘Early Times’
‘Early Sensation’
‘Pixie’
Founder’s Garden:
‘Clochette Pride’
‘Esprit’
macropetala ‘Mountaindale’
‘Vera’ (Montana Group)
Front Bank:
albicoma
ochroleuca
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