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Clematis pitcheri

Pitcher's leatherflower

Ranunculaceae South-central United States

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 5–8

Overview

Clematis pitcheri is a climbing vine that grows 6-12 feet (1.8-3.7 m) long, dying back partly or fully to the ground in cold winters and regrowing each spring. It climbs by twisting its leaf stalks around supports rather than by tendrils. The compound leaves have several broad leaflets, sometimes lobed, with a network of conspicuous veins. From late spring through summer it produces nodding, urn-shaped flowers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, with thick, leathery sepals that curl back at the tips. Flower color ranges from dull purple and blue to reddish, often paler and yellowish inside. Unlike many large-flowered clematis, the seed heads lack long feathery plumes and instead form flattened, beaked clusters. The species is native to the south-central United States, where it grows in thickets, woodland edges, fence rows, and along streams. It grows in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil and tolerates heat where the root zone is shaded or mulched. Foliage may show powdery mildew in humid, crowded conditions. Hardy in USDA zones 5-8.

Native Range

Clematis pitcheri is native to the south-central United States, from Indiana and Missouri south through Oklahoma and Texas. It grows along woodland edges, in thickets, fence rows, and moist bottomlands.

Suggested Uses

Used on trellises, fences, arbors, and through shrubs in cottage and native plant gardens. Suited to naturalized borders and woodland edges where it can scramble over supports. Planted 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) apart along a fence or structure.

How to Identify

Recognized by nodding, urn-shaped flowers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long with thick, leathery sepals that recurve at the tips, ranging from dull purple-blue to reddish. The vine climbs by twining leaf stalks, and its compound leaves show a prominent net of veins. Seed heads form flat, beaked clusters rather than the feathery plumes of Clematis virginiana. The bell-shaped, non-opening flowers separate it from star-flowered clematis.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 12'

Width/Spread3' - 6'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~14 weeks

Spring Summer

Blooms from late spring through late summer, roughly May to September, over an extended period. Flowers open a few at a time along the stems rather than all at once. Bloom continues into late summer where soil stays moist.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Dull purple-blue to reddish

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plant in full sun to part shade in moist, fertile, well-drained soil, with the root zone shaded by mulch or low plants in hot regions. Provide a trellis, fence, or shrub for the twining leaf stalks to climb. Water during dry spells, as the vine grows poorly in soil that fully dries out. Cut stems back hard in late winter, since flowers form on new growth produced each season. Powdery mildew may appear in humid sites with poor airflow. The species spreads modestly by seed and is not aggressive.

Pruning

Cut all stems back to about 12 inches (30 cm) in late winter or early spring, as bloom occurs on current-season growth. Remove dead or frost-killed top growth at the same time. No summer pruning is needed beyond trimming stray stems.

Pruning Schedule

winterearly spring