Common Name:

General Information

Clematis montana is a vigorous, deciduous climbing plant with woody stems that can be 12 metres or more long, but are often only 5 - 6 metres. The plant can scramble ovr the ground, growing into nearby vegetation where it attaches itself by means of twining leafstalks[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of material. It is very commonly grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its flowering display in the spring. There are many named forms.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - Himalayan regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar; also mountainous regions of SE China

Habitat

Forests, forest margins, slopes, scrub, along streams; at elevations from 1,000 - 4,000 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Climber
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Clematis montana iis native to the warm temperate zone of eastern Asia, where it can be found at elevations up to 4,000 metres. A very cold-tolerant plant, when fully dormant it can withstand temperatures down to about -20°c or lower[]
Prefers a position where the base of the plant is in cool shade, but the plant can grow up through trees or shrubs into a sunny position[]. It grows best in a moist but freely draining, humus-rich loamy soil[].
The plant is commonly grown as an ornamental, often being allowed to grow into trees and large shrubs. It flowersin the spring and generally does not need pruning unless it is growing too large, in which case simply thinning out some of the stems in late winter or early spring before now growth commences is usually all that is needed[].
The plant will often self-sow in cultivation[].
The flowers of some forms are fragrant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is used as a remedy to treat conditions such as leprosy, blood diseases, and fevers[].

Other Uses

The stems, or the fibres obtained from them, are used as a tying material[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[, ]. 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[]. A period of cold stratification is beneficial[]. The seed germinates in 1 - 9 months or more at 20°c[]. 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[].
Layering of old stems in late winter or early spring[].
Layering of current seasons growth in early summer[].