Clematis pruning is necessary to achieve abundant and long-lasting blooms and to manage their timing, as well as for proper shaping of the bush. Pruning is one of the key activities in clematis care: you may not bother with fertilizing and forget about watering at times, but pruning is a must.
Different species and varieties of clematis require different pruning, but in general they are all divided into three groups, which for simplicity are so called – first, second and third.
First group of clematis pruning (no pruning)
Clematis of the first pruning group bloom on the shoots of the previous year, but sometimes they also have single flowers on the shoots of the current year (repeat flowering). The first group includes varieties and species of the Montana and Atragene groups. These clematis do not need pruning for flowering, but may require shaping pruning. Formative pruning is carried out after flowering, removing weak shoots in their entirety and the generative part of last year’s flowering shoots. This will allow the plant to develop strong shoots from the current year, which will flower next year. However, they should not be cut too short because they almost never form new buds on old shoots.
Second pruning group (weak pruning)
Clematis of the second pruning group bloom on the previous year’s shoots in late spring and again on the shoots of the flowering year from mid-summer to fall. This pruning group includes varieties and species from the Florida, Lanuginosa and Patens groups. They require pruning in two stages.
In summer, immediately after flowering, cut off the generative part of the previous year’s shoot, i.e. the part with flowers and fruits. This is necessary for the plant to have time to form strong shoots of the current year with a large number of generative buds and abundantly flowered in the summer. If the bush is dense, the shoots of the previous year are cut out completely.
The second pruning is carried out before covering for winter. Last year’s shoots can be cut short, leaving 2-3 pairs of buds. The current year’s shoots should be saved, cutting only the part with flowers on it.
Third pruning group (heavy pruning)
Clematis of the third pruning group form the main mass of flowers on the shoots of the current year. These include cultivars of the Viticella, Recta and late-flowering large-flowered clematis groups. Their flowering usually begins in July and lasts until September or October. For abundant flowering they need a strong pruning. It is very simple: after flowering, all shoots are cut back over 2 or 3 pairs of strong buds.
Clematis with dying off above ground
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There are herbaceous and semi-shrubby clematis whose above-ground part completely dies off every fall. This dead part does not look very pretty and is also cut back. These clematis are also formally classified in the third group.