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Fragrant Flowers:  No

Foliage Color:  Green

Fragrant Foliage:  No

Attracts:  Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Beneficial Pollinators, Visual Attention

Resistances:  Cold Temperatures (-30F), Deer, Disease, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Black Walnut

Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society, 'The President' is a large-flowered Clematis which has stood the test of time, since 1876, for good reasons. A vigorous and robust climber, it features large 7 to 8 inch flowers almost continuously over a long period from late spring through early fall. In our gardens it takes a little break during midsummer. The abundant flowers have 8 pointed rich purple-blue slightly wavy petals surrounding a prominent cluster of contrasting red-tipped white stamens. The flowers hold their color well even in full blazing sun and are excellent for cutting and display in floral arrangements. Lush dark green foliage that stays healthy all season is an excellent backdrop to showcase the flowers. A taller grower reaching 10 to 12 feet tall, The President is ideal for use on fences, large trellises, arches, pergolas, posts and poles. 

Clematis in Group 2 consist of all the early, large-flowered hybrid clematis that bloom in late spring or early summer and maybe again in late summer. Clematis in this group should be pruned lightly in late winter or early spring. Pruning consists of removing weak and crossing shoots then thinning down the plant to a structure of evenly spaced one and two year old stems. Cut each stem just above a pair of healthy buds. Plants in this group have the tendency to become bare at the base as they mature. You can under-plant with small shrubs or perennials to help conceal the bare stems. Alternatively, you can often force a flush of new growth from the base by cutting the vine back to 18 inches immediately after the flush of bloom.

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Clematis vines