CLEMATIS montana 'Tetraroze'

Extremely vigorous spring-blooming clematis. Deep pink, strongly scented flowers with straw-colored stamens. Planted in April, 1999, this plant flowered after growing 5 feet, and continued on to grow well over 15 feet in its first year. The variety is faulted for a short blooming season, but the flowers in the second year, photographed here on 5/1/00, easily lasted a month or more. I cut the densest growth away in early spring. This likely reduced the number of buds, but may have contributed to their longevity. Montanas do not need to be pruned, but any cutting back should probably be done in summer, after flowering.