Re: Clematis paniculata

Richard Starkeson wrote:
> 
> I have a question on this clematis, which I believe is from New Zealand
> (Moira, I am guessing you would know).  I planted two this spring, and
> they have only grown to about 8 feet.  They reached this height several
> months ago, and haven't grown but an inch or so since then.  The weather
> since then has been warm, (things won't start to cool very much here
> until November) and they have had ample water.  They appear reasonably
> happy, in part shade (they would be in the sun, if they ever reach the
> top of the tree).  I thought they grew much higher than this, and was
> hoping for flowers about the 18 foot level next year.  I am sure I saw
> them flowering at about that height on the North Island (if that was
> indeed C. paniculata that I was looking at.)  They were new plants,
> having grown to about 1 foot from the cutting, when I planted them.  Is
> this normal growth for this species, or are they slow to start, and will
> attain a greater height next year (If, that is, the Berkeley plant
> vandals haven't gotten to them by then)?  I was hoping they would grow
> quickly, since they only have five years to do their thing.  (The
> People's Republic of Berkeley doesn't approve of vines on street trees,
> and removes them every five years.)

Hi Richard
Yes certainly a common  NZ native. It is all in flower in the local bush
as I write and also in my garden where it climbs over a Kowhai tree
(Sophora) so that the white and gold flowers are chermingly mingled..

They will certainly grow higher than 8ft eventually (my book says
10-12m, say 30-40 feet), but a vine I planted many years ago took quite
a time to reach the top of its tree. My guess is that yours reckon they
have finished the year's growth and are now happy to wait  till next
year before elongating further. Seedlings take several years to flower,
as they have to grow through a juvenile stage first, but cutting-raised
plants flower much quicker If yours are from  cuttings, provided the top
is out in the sunshine  you might get flowering at the 8ft level next
year before they elongate further.

I will hold my thumbs that flowering happens anyway well before your
vandalistic council destroys them.

Moira
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand, SW Pacific. 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Time
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