Clematis 'Ballet Skirt' (A/d)
clematis 'Ballet Skirt'
A robust, deciduous climber with attractive toothed yellow-green leaves divided into leaflets with sharply serrated edges. Nodding, semi-double, bell-shaped flowers have pale red-purple, lance-shaped outer sepals and many smaller, sometimes paler, petal-like stamens in the centre. Consistently free-flowering in spring
Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | |||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or West–facing or East–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Climbing
- Potentially harmful
- Skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (rabbits): Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Clematis can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or herbaceous perennials, mostly climbing by twining leaf-stalks, and often with showy flowers. Some have attractive fluffy seedheads in autumn
- Name status
Accepted
- Horticultural Group
- Atragene Group Clematis consists of woody climbers with deciduous, 1 to 2-ternate leaves and nodding, bell-shaped, single or double flowers to 10cm across, on old wood in spring and early summer, occasionally also later, on current year's growth
How to grow
Cultivation
Plant in a moisture-retentive, well-drained soil, with the roots and base of the plant kept cool and shaded by other plants or a layer of pebbles at the base. Plant with the crown 5-8cm deep to encourage new shoots to grow from below ground level. Can be grown in containers at least 45cm (18in) deep and wide in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost. See clematis cultivation for more advice
Propagation
Propagate by softwood cuttings in spring, semi-ripe cuttings in summer or propagate by layering in late winter or early spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, snails and caterpillars; petals may be eaten by earwigs
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), clematis wilt and clematis slime flux
Get involved
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