Clematis virginiana (Virgin's Bower)

Size: 12-20', vine

Sun: Full Sun - Part Shade

Soil: Medium-Wet, Average, Well-Drained

Bloom Time: Late Summer - Fall

Deer Resistance: 3.5/5

Ecotype: Virginia

Virgin's Bower is a vigorous vine with abundant flowers in the late summer/early fall. After blooming, it can be pruned back to help control size and spread if necessary. The plant is dioecious; male flowers produce showier flowers, while females will produce attractive seedheads. This makes the female plants slightly more difficult to manage in a smaller, tidier landscape, however the seedheads are just as (if not more!) beautiful as the flowers. This plant will happily climb up structures if provided, or it will sprawl over the ground (and over perennials and shrubs) if not. It is adaptable to different light conditions and will bloom in the shade. 

The many flowers it produces attract all kinds of pollinators, including hummingbirds. It is the host plant for the specialist Clematis Clearwing moth (Alcathoe caudata). 

Note: This plant should not be confused with the non-native, invasive Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis paniculata). To distinguish the two, it's best to look at the leaves. Both plants have compound leaves with three leaflets, but Virgin's Bower has serrated leaf margins while Sweet Autumn Clematis has smooth margins. Both also display abundant flowers during the same time.