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Ranunculaceae FAMILY

Clematis fusca

Clematis fusca

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, some if not all members of this genus are mildly poisonous. The toxic principle is dissipated by heat or by drying[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Climber
Growth—

Clematis fusca is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant. Prefers a deep moist soil with its roots in the shade[2, 3]. Dislikes poorly-drained heavy clay soils, but grows well in clay if grit is added for drainage[2, 3]. Dislikes light sandy soils[2]. Does well on chalk[4]. Succeeds in acid as well as alkaline soils[3]. A twining plant[5]. The leafstalks wrap themselves around twigs and branches for support. When a side of the stalk touches an object, the growth on that side slows down whilst the other side grows at its normal rate - this causes the leaf stalk to entwine the object it is touching[6]. Plants flower on the current season's new shoots and any pruning is best carried out in spring before new growth commences. They can usually be left unpruned, though weak or dead shoots can be removed and main shoots can be cut back by up to two thirds of their length if they are outgrowing their allotted area[7]. When planting out, in order to avoid the disease 'clematis wilt', it is best to plant the rootball about 8cm deeper in the soil. This will also serve to build up a good root crown of growth buds[3]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[3]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[8]. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[9].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[10, 3]. Sow stored seed as soon as it is obtained in a cold frame. Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and remove as much of the tail and outer coat as possible[10]. A period of cold stratification is beneficial[10]. The seed germinates in 1 - 9 months or more at 20°c[10]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Internodal cuttings of soft to semi-ripe wood, late spring in sandy soil in a frame[3]. Layering of old stems in late winter or early spring[3]. Layering of current seasons growth in early summer[3]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Clematis+fusca>

Pollinators

Bees, Flies

References

  1. [1]A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. — Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. · Wolfe · 1984 · ISBN 0723408394 ↩︎Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.
  2. [2]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  5. [5]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
  6. [6]A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers — Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. · The Riverside Press · 1963 · ISBN 63-7093 ↩︎Excellent little pocket guide to the area, covering 590 species and often giving details of their uses.
  7. [7]Clematis - The Genus — Grey-Wilson. C. · B. T. Batsford. London. · 2000 · ISBN 0-7134-7659-1 ↩︎An excellent and well illustrated concise guide to all the known specis of Clematis.
  8. [8]Perennial Garden Plants — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons, London. · 1990 · ISBN 0 460 86048 8 ↩︎A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
  9. [9]How to Enjoy your Weeds. — Hatfield. A. W. · Frederick Muller Ltd · 1977 · ISBN 0-584-10141-4 ↩︎Interesting reading.
  10. [10]Growing from Seed. Volume 4. — Bird. R. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1990 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
  11. [11]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.