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Clematis mystery

B3B3 Posts: 26,981
in Plants

Beside my summer flowering clematis is growing, what I thought, was a sucker. It was a lighter magenta than the 'parent'.

I now notice that it has flower buds on it. I'm aware that clematis can come back from the dead years later, but I don't remember ever planting it.

Has anyone any ideas what happened?The bloke the other side of the fence grows grass and nothing else.

In London. Keen but lazy.
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  • B3B3 Posts: 26,981

    Here's some  pictures 

    image 

    Above is the 'parent '

    image

    This is the mystery  plant  mixed with rose 

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904

    Definitely looks like Clematis so could be bird poo, blow in, Do they sucker??? I don't know. Maybe it's your fortune ready to claim B3. Maybe you've discovered something dead good. There's a clematis person called Richard about. He might drop in and solve the mystery.

    ps mine came back from the dead after nearly 4 years. image If it ever flowers I'll post a pic because I can't remember what it is/was.

    Last edited: 15 May 2016 12:59:27

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 54,353

    Hi B3 - you've just got part of the clematis growing up through the rose. They do get quite big and they can spread far and wide once they get going. It also might seem different because it won't have been pruned back if you didn't see it earlier in the year.

    Were you thinking it was another one because the stems are a slightly different colour?  If you trace the stems back, you'll probably find it's all coming from the original plant, unless there's been another clematis planted there that's been hiding for a while!  image

    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

    Fairy, the leaves are totally different. The late summer flowering one has divided leaves. This one has heart/shield shaped leaves and looks like it will flower in a couple of weeks. It's curly tendril things are much stronger. I caught it trying to strangle a rosebud!

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 54,353

    It could simply be one that's lain dormant for a while - perhaps having been nibbled/damaged early on , or a small plant that's been put in at some time and is now growing, with the other planting giving protection.  Leaves often look different early on though and change as the plant matures. Hard to tell from the photos without seeing every part of the plant too. 

    You'll find out when it flowers anyway!  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,458

    Could be a seedling.

    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • B3B3 Posts: 26,981

    Well, it can stay if it behaves. If not.......

    Thanks all for suggestionsimage

    Last edited: 15 May 2016 16:25:17

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • B3B3 Posts: 26,981

    image

    image

    Mystery solved - sort of.

    This is the flower on the mystery clematis.  It's the sort of colour that I would choose, so I suppose I must have chosen it.  It has definitely not been planted in the last 5 years so it must be one of the come back from the dead clematis.

    Never chuck out a dead clematis if it's in the ground!

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 54,353

    Result B3  image

    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

    yesimageimage

    In London. Keen but lazy.
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