Clematis Horn Of Plenty Care

Okay, gardeners, we are not talking about the hollow horn symbol filled with celebratory fruits here today. No, we are going to help you care for the Clematis.

But interestingly enough, the cornucopia is a symbol of fortune and is a sign of homage. Great a little history lesson in between planting.

Neither must you get confused between the Clematis and Angel’s Trumpet which has a trumpet flower as botanists refer to both as the horn of plenty. No, we will be taking care of the Clematis perennial vine today.

The Queen of Vines

cining clematis

While we will be focussing on the horn of plenty (vining Clematis), a large-flowering vine climber, many other Clematis plants are growing in abundance in many gardens. You find these plants in shrubs with different shapes and flower sizes.

Some of these plants prefer the sun, while others thrive in the shade. Then you find the foliage blooming in spring while others flower in summer. Yet, you can grow the horn of plenty as an outdoor plant or potted to place on the patio.

One of the queens of climbers’ main attributes is that it is an easy-care vine that can cover pergolas, fences, or cover posts. They can trail across the ground, or you can drape them from hanging baskets. These indoor plants can grow up to eight feet in length.

One that stands out from the rest of the horn of plenty plants is the Clematis vine purple to brightens up any place. The strange thing is the blooms have no fragrance. Another exciting thing is that some of these species are used in different pharmaceutical products.

Also, the climbing Clematis is indigenous to China and Japan. Since the mid-19th century, It is a popular flower to grow in European gardens.

Horn of Plenty Plant Care

clematis

When it comes to Clematis vine care, it shares most of its growing requirements with other Clematis outdoor plants. So keep reading to learn more about Clematis care here.

Recommended Potting Mix for Clematis Flowering Vine

For the best potting soil to place your Clematis climber, it helps to have a well-draining ground. Like most of these plants, you grow outdoors. The best time to plant your perennial Clematis is in spring. Doing this allows your queen to establish her roots before winter arrives.

Whether planted in a pot or outside, your climber needs a 24-inch x 24-inches hole allowing the roots to spread. If you decide to grow your queen as an outdoor plant, we recommend soaking the receptacle in water for 15 minutes.

Add some organic material with sand to help improve drainage but be generous with the builder’s sand. Now, add some bone meal to your mix to make the potting medium-light yet loose and friable. Set climbing support in place for your vining plant to rise.

Lighting Conditions for Your Clematis Flowers

clematis lighting condition

Your climber needs fun sun, at least six hours a day to partial shade. So if you have the horn of plenty with purple flowers, you can place it in a spot with some dappled afternoon shade in the summer. Another crucial thing is your plant wants cool roots.

So, gardeners, you will need to get creative to accommodate your queen with her needs. We recommend using dry mulch layered over the hole. When grown outside, you can plant other perennials with a low profile to provide shade for the crown and roots.

Clematis Care Watering

For the best nourishment for your Clematis lianas (meaning climber), water it every two weeks after planting for the first three months. First, it helps to cover your plant around the surface with some mulch to keep the ground moist. Then, during dry spells, you can water them a bit more.

It would help if you also replenished the mulch every spring.

Ideal Temperature & Humidity

clematis growth zone

You can grow your plant in the following USDA hardiness zones for the best temperature and humidity, ranging from zones four to eleven. You can expect your plant to bloom from early spring to late summer and from late summer to early fall.

Feeding Your Horn of Plenty Plant

The best fertilizer for nourishment for your climber is a 10-10-10 fertilizer. When grown as an outdoor plant, you can feed four tablespoons per ten square feet of the ground around your vine. Still, when your climber blooms, discontinue the feeding.

Propagating Horn of Plenty Climber

To propagate your Clematis, the best time to take a cutting from the mother plant is in spring or early summer. Please do this by cutting a piece from the middle section of the stem where it is soft. Before placing the cutting in a pot filled with half bark and coarse sand, it helps to dip it in a fungicide.

Place the bottom half of the cutting in the ground and water it. Next, place a plastic bottle over it to form a greenhouse. You can expect the tubers to grow within six weeks. Once your plant forms petioles, you can transfer it to another larger pot.

Pruning Your Crawler

When it comes to pruning your plant, there are three groups of pruning as follow:

  • First Group – if your plant had flowers on the wood from a previous year, you need not prune your vine.
  • Second Group – if your plant has a flower from the previous year, you can prune them in February by removing the weak stems to allow new growth. You can also trim the other stems above the strongest ones with pair of buds.
  • Third Group – with a plant with current season growth with blooms, you can prune in spring. You can cut the foliage back above the healthy bud (11 inches from the soil) as it prevents a tangled mess of the stem.

Clematis Varieties

Clematis ‘Vyvyan Pennell’

Clematis ‘Vyvyan Pennell’

This plant is impressive with its vast double pale purple blooms displayed in May, June, and September, depending on where you live.

Clematis’ Nelly Moser’

Clematis' Nelly Moser'

The blooms have pajama stripes in a pink to pale lavender flower showing from May to June.

Clematis montana ‘Freda’

Clematis montana ‘Freda’

The plant has a single bloom with four pale pink and white petals seen from May to June.

Horn of Plenty Diseases & Pests

Excellent as we near the end of providing your climber to keep it in shape with the best nourishment you can see it does not have horns or is a cornucopia (chuckle.) But if you want your plant to grow in abundance, it helps to keep an eye on wilt that can cause problems for this plant.

Your plant just wilts and is caused by fungal diseases. The best is to prune the affected stems and make sure to burn them. Further, your vine can be troubled with earwigs chewing holes in the flowers resulting in cosmetic damage.

Other pests to watch are mice, snails, rabbits, and slugs who enjoy feasting on these plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

All parts of the foliage of the horn of plenty plant are poisonous and can result in an upset stomach, diarrhea, drooling, or vomiting.

The horn of plenty blooms a rosy-purple flower with eight to ten inches from June to September. In contrast, the Clematis jackmanii Superba has a dark velvety mauve bloom with a reddish midrib.

In winter, you can prune your plant 11-inches from the ground to remove dead growth. Do this by cutting above a healthy new bud. Still, leave up to two stems unpruned, allowing for flowering at different heights.

ou can find the vining plant at your local garden center or online. But you need not browse around as Plantly has a collection of the Clematis right here for you.

Whether you want to buy, sell or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, Plantly is the right place to be!

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