Clematis tangutica 'Helios'
Clematis t. 'Helios' seed heads in fall
Common Name: Golden Clematis
- A small-flowered, coconut-scented variety, 2"-4" in diameter
- Yellow flowers are nodding and lantern-shaped when they emerge, becoming flatter as the petals open upwards
- Flowers are followed by decorative seed pods which can be used in dried flower arrangements
- Blooms from June-Oct.
- Moderately drought tolerant
- Ideal for screening purposes or for growing over large shrubs
- Winner of the Dutch Award of Merit in 1988 for the best yellow-flowered clematis
A member of:
Group 3—Late flowering cultivars
These varieties bloom first on new growth beginning in midsummer, and then again on new shoots in early fall. The second round will likely produce smaller flowers than the first and flowers that were double the first time may be single the second time.
Small-flowered clematis do not need to be pruned regularly. Only when they grow too large for their space should they be cut back. Though their growth habit makes them difficult to prune, it can be done in late winter or early spring. All shoots can be cut back to the previous year's wood, just above the base of the plant. This pruning is necessary to avoid getting a bare stem with a thick tangle above it. The spring flowers will be eliminated for that year, but the late summer flowers should still be produced. Alternatively, if you don't want to cut the entire plant back all at once, pruning can be done in stages over a period of 3 years. Each year, prune back 1/3 of the stems to 6-9 inches above a couple of well-developed buds.
