Clematis viticella
| Clematis viticella | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae |
| Genus: | Clematis |
| Species: | C. viticella
|
| Binomial name | |
| Clematis viticella | |
Clematis viticella, the Italian leather flower,[1] purple clematis,[2] or virgin's bower, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to Southern Europe and Western Asia, from the Italic Peninsula to Iran.[3] This deciduous climber was the first clematis imported into English gardens, where it was already being grown in 1569 by Hugh Morgan, apothecary to Elizabeth I.[4] By 1597, when it was already being called "virgin's bower", there were two varieties in English gardens, a blue (actually a purple-blue) and a red.[5][6]
All varieties of Clematis viticella are hardy in winter, tolerant of both sun and shade, and resistant to clematis wilt.[7]
References
- ^ NRCS. "Clematis viticella". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ "Clematis viticella L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ Alice M. Coats, Garden Shrubs and their Histories (1964) 1992, s.v. "Clematis".
- ^ Centuries later, the red C. viticella was a parent of the best-known hybrid clematis, Clematis × jackmanii (Coats [1964] 1992).
- ^ "Clematis viticella | Botanic Garden". Archived from the original on 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2012-06-21.
- ^ Milbocker, Jana (2013-06-12). "Vigorous and Carefree Climber: Clematis Viticella". Enchanted Gardens. Retrieved 2024-07-23.