Clematis are popular climbing vines that add beauty and elegance to gardens. With their stunning star-shaped flowers in shades of white pink purple, yellow and more, it’s no wonder they are called the “queen of vines”. While clematis are hardy in zones 3-9, they do require some special care over the winter months to ensure they return vigorously the following spring. In this complete guide, we will cover everything you need to know about overwintering your clematis successfully.
Understanding Clematis Groups
An important factor in caring for clematis is understanding the different pruning groups There are three main groups
Group 1
- Bloom early, February to April
- Prune after flowering
- Evergreen varieties
Group 2
- Bloom April to May on old wood, again lightly in summer on new wood
- Prune lightly in early spring after blooming, again after second flush
Group 3
- Bloom May to September on new wood
- Prune hard in late winter or early spring
Knowing when your clematis bloom and which pruning group they belong to will determine how you care for them in winter
Winter Care Tips
Here are the key things to remember when overwintering your clematis vines:
Deadheading
-
Remove spent blooms by snipping off just above the stem with clean pruners.
-
Take out any damaged vines or foliage.
-
Discard debris around base of plant.
Mulching
-
After first frost, apply 4-6 inches of mulch around base.
-
Use straw, leaves, evergreen boughs or other organic mulch.
-
Mulch protects roots from temperature fluctuations.
Pruning
-
Prune Group 1 lightly after blooming.
-
Prune Group 2 lightly in early spring, again after rebloom.
-
Prune Group 3 hard in late winter, cutting back to 12-24 inches.
Added Protection
-
Shelter evergreen Group 1 varieties from harsh winds.
-
Make a “bird’s nest” with vine trimmings over crown for extra insulation.
-
Cover tender varieties with burlap or frost blanket if hard freeze expected.
Container Care
-
Use wood, metal, plastic or other freeze-safe pots.
-
Move ceramic or terra cotta pots to protected area.
-
Insulate pots with bags of leaves, bubble wrap or pine boughs.
Step-By-Step Winter Care Guide
Follow these simple steps for properly caring for your clematis through the winter:
1. Deadhead and Clean Up
In fall, remove any spent blooms and tidy up vines. Discard any fallen leaves or debris around the base. Doing this cleanup before winter hits eliminates overwintering pests and disease.
2. Mulch Well
After the ground freezes, apply a 4-6 inch layer of mulch around the base of each vine. Pile it around the crown for insulation. Leave the mulch in place until spring when the soil begins to thaw.
3. Prune According to Group
Refer back to the pruning guide for your variety’s group. Prune Group 1 lightly, Group 2 in spring then again in summer, and Group 3 hard in late winter. Always prune just above leaf buds or nodes.
4. Add Extra Protection as Needed
For evergreen Group 1 vines, add burlap wrap or a frost blanket if extreme cold is expected. For extra insulation on Group 3 vines, pile trimmed dead vines over the crown.
5. Overwinter Containers Properly
Keep potted clematis in freeze-safe containers. Insulate with bagged leaves, bubble wrap or pine boughs. Store ceramic pots in protected areas.
6. Remove Mulch in Spring
As temperatures warm, gradually remove mulch from in-ground plants. Pull away from crown first, then completely remove once frost risk has passed.
Common Winter Problems and Solutions
Here are some potential issues that may arise over winter and how to resolve them:
Browning Leaves
This is normal for deciduous varieties going dormant. Evergreen leaves may brown due to frost damage. Trim off damaged growth in spring.
No Blooms on Evergreen Group 1 Varieties
Insufficient winter protection can damage buds. Improve shelter for next year.
Mold or Mildew
From excess moisture. Improve air circulation and prune away infected growth.
Heaved Plants
Alternating freezing and thawing can push plants up from soil. Remulch around plants that have heaved.
Breakage from Heavy Snow
Provide support structures and ties to prevent vines from snapping under heavy snow or ice.
Enjoy Winter Interest
With proper care, your clematis will survive winter and put on a gorgeous display come springtime. But you can also enjoy them in the winter garden. Evergreen clematis like Armandii and Cirrhosa varieties have attractive glossy foliage all winter long. Fluffy seedheads left on Group 3 vines provide architectural interest. And the unique spiraled seed heads of Clematis tangutica are especially eye-catching when dusted with snow. With a bit of preparation in fall, your clematis can be a highlight of both your summer and winter garden.
Clematis Winter Care in Pots
Note your variety’s hardiness zone and determine how much protection it may need. Some ways to protect your potted plant, besides using a frost-proof container, include:
- Choosing a container allowing at least two inches of soil diameter beyond the roots.
- Site the container against a south- or west-facing wall.
- After the soil has frozen, mulch the plant base up to about five inches deep. You can also wrap the pot in burlap or frost cloth.
If your plant is much more tender than your climate, consider adding extra insulation – stuff landscape bags with dry leaves or hay, and wrap around containers, or create a ring of chicken wire and fill with dry leaves. Remove these protections once all danger of frost is past.
Preparing and Cutting-Back Clematis for Winter
The first step is to simply deadhead spent flowers and trim broken or dead branches.
The clematis family – over 300 species strong – includes deciduous and evergreen types. Deciduous types will lose all their leaves, retaining only twiggy branches.
It’s also crucial to know which pruning group your plant falls under – Group 1, 2, or 3. You can find this out in any description if you know your plant’s variety name. If you have inherited an anonymous vine, here are some guidelines:
Group 1 blooms the earliest, late-winter through mid-spring. They often grow broad, woody stems at the base from 2 to 6 inches across. They need no pruning beyond deadheading and cleaning up any dead stalks. This includes the less-hardy evergreen types like C. armandii, C. cirrhosa or C. fosteri, typically hardy through Zones 6-9. These may need more winter protection depending where you are gardening, in the form of mulch and frost cloth or burlap. Their leaves may suffer some dieback in prolonged freezing temperatures.
Group 2 has a main flush of spring bloom, followed by a lighter summer bloom. It blooms on both new and old wood. This group gets a minor trim in spring and a harder one after spring bloom to encourage that second flush – but no winter pruning. This group performs best in the moderate to warm parts of its range with warmer spring temperatures.
Group 3 are the marathoners – blooming on repeat from late spring all the way through autumn, entirely on new wood. This is the group that needs winter pruning. Group 3 benefits from being cut back hard in winter – down to 18 or 24 inches – delaying new buds to preserve them until warm weather arrives. If you’re not sure whether your clematis is Group 2 or 3, give it a hard winter pruning and note when and how it blooms next year.
Your clematis vine will appreciate a top-dressing of compost mulch of organic material in a circle up to 2’ around its roots. Once the ground freezes, you can consider adding a winter protective mulch of bark chips, pine needles, or even lightweight evergreen branch trimmings. If using branches, remove the mulch in stages as the weather warms, waiting until all risk of frost passes before clearing it away.
Pruning Clematis, Flower Bed Cleanup, Planting Stock & Mini Hellebore Tour!
FAQ
Do I cut back clematis for winter?
Pruning is carried out in late winter, just as buds are starting to emerge – watch our video above or follow the step-by-step below to see how to prune …Jan 18, 2022
How do you winterize a clematis?
- Choosing a container allowing at least two inches of soil diameter beyond the roots.
- Site the container against a south- or west-facing wall.
- After the soil has frozen, mulch the plant base up to about five inches deep. You can also wrap the pot in burlap or frost cloth.
Can clematis survive a hard freeze?
… be fine, Petitti said, but popular plants like lilacs, wisteria and clematis should be protected, as their flowers will likely wilt from the freezing tempsMar 26, 2012
Should you cut clematis back to ground?
Every variety, regardless of group, should be cut back to about 5 inches from the ground in late winter/early spring the first year after it is planted.