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I still don't know what to do with this clematis

B3B3 Posts: 26,981
in Plants

This mile a minute clematis was taking over the world. Its  flowers  are maroon ish and I think it might have the name of eastern European  royalty 
Anyway, I  cut it down to the ground in July to rescue Arthur Bell. It has grown this much in less than three months and is going to flower again 
When can I divide it and can I  do it without digging out the whole root?
I don't want to lose it, but it's  out of control! 
Cutting back stems obviously  isn't  going to work.
Thanks B
Ps the purple flowers on the right are of a well-behaved neighbour that got hacked down at the same time.
In London. Keen but lazy.
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,903
    A bit of a stab in the dark, but could it possibly be this one?


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • B3B3 Posts: 26,981
    That looks like it. I got the royal bit right but I thought it had some princely blokes name. I will investigate further😊 @Dovefromabove
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 11,960
    You can't divide clematis I'm afraid. It's a case of either keep chopping it back or digging it right out and planting it elsewhere if you like it.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 54,353
    You could hack right back and tie in horizontally. It's the best way with the later flowering Group 3s.
    You could dig it out though. I decided to move E. Violette [which is what I think you have on the right] this time last year, and I thought I'd got it all, but I hadn't. The remaining part grew really well, but less exuberantly and the bit I dug out is coming along and should be good next year. Neither suffered from the hacking and slashing.
    It might mean it would slow it down for a while  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • B3B3 Posts: 26,981
    @Dovefromabove. Ignore the nonsense about royalty - that's probably the other clematis.
    This one is definitely niobe  (the name is familiar) and the rhs site says it sometimes reblooms in late summer.
    It doesn't say much about how to control it though
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,903
    If that’s the one it grows up to 15ft ... I’d have if clambering over an old fruit tree ... think it’s too big for that spot  :/

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • B3B3 Posts: 26,981
    Well it looks like carry on hacking😉 Don't you hate it when a plant is too happy!
    Thanks all.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 54,353
    I have Niobe, but it's quite well behaved compared to yours  :)
    Mine only gets to about five or six feet, and a bout four or five in spread.
    It's my favourite clem.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • B3B3 Posts: 26,981
    It used to be well-behaved for several years. Then it wasn't. Be very afraid @Fairygirl😱
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 54,353
    Mine's been in about 6 or 7 years, and as a decent plant going in. I wouldn't mind it going mad. I love it  :)
    Maybe our climate stops it being too rampant. Mine stopped flowering a bit earlier this year though, but it's got a handful of new buds just now. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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