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Ranunculaceae FAMILY

Clematis recta

Clematis recta

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
2/5

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

HabitPerennial
Growth—

Clematis recta is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[2]. They can tolerate temperatures down to about -35°c according to another report[3]. Succeeds in any soil in full sun[2, 4], but prefers a fertile sandy loam[4]. Dislikes poorly-drained heavy clay soils, but grows well in clay if grit is added for drainage[5, 4]. Does well on chalk. Dislikes winter wet[4]. Succeeds in acid as well as alkaline soils[4]. There are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[6]. Plants in the wild usually have more or less erect stems that are self-supporting, cultivated forms often grow taller with weaker stems and require some sort of support[3]. Flowers are usually pleasantly scented, strongly so in some forms[3]. 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[4]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[6]. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[7].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[8, 4]. 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[8]. A period of cold stratification is beneficial[8]. The seed germinates in 1 - 9 months or more at 20°c[8]. 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. Division of the clump in the dormant season[3]. Internodal cuttings of soft to semi-ripe wood, late spring in sandy soil in a frame[4]. Layering of old stems in late winter or early spring[4]. Layering of current seasons growth in early summer[4]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Clematis+recta>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

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]Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1991 · ISBN 0-330-30936-9 ↩︎Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
  3. [3]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.
  4. [4]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.
  5. [5]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.
  6. [6]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.
  7. [7]How to Enjoy your Weeds. — Hatfield. A. W. · Frederick Muller Ltd · 1977 · ISBN 0-584-10141-4 ↩︎Interesting reading.
  8. [8]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.
  9. [9]Flora of the USSR. — Komarov. V. L. · Israel Program for Scientific Translation · 1968 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org · ISBN - ↩︎An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  10. [10]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.
  11. [11]A Modern Herbal. — Grieve. · Penguin · 1984 · ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 ↩︎Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
  12. [12]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.