I'd appreciate any ideas. The area where I want a clematis is in morning sun only and not even the entire morning.
Thanks.
Clematis for shade
All of my clems are in less sun than I'm sure they'd like. This Fall I've added a dozen more, and most of those are going into shady spots, so I'll let you know about those next year. I can say, though, that Blue Angel, which I've had for a couple of years and gets, at best, two hours of sun a day, from 10-12 at the height of summer, does great for me. It's getting even less sun than that now -- maybe an hour of morning sun -- and is reblooming like crazy. Incredibly vigorous. I have another Blue Angel in a sunnier spot, and it starts blooming earlier but doesn't hold its blooms nearly as long or as well as the one in shade. Another thing about shade of course is that drainage is extra important to think about there. With my new clems I'm more worried about drainage than exposure. Have thrown everything in those holes, except a drain!
Very funny! You might be on to something.
Silver moon is listed as a shade clematis, although I have no personal experience with it.
http://www.donahuesclematis.com/flower/silvermoon.html
I have assumed, maybe not correctly, that if a clem is listed as growing in any aspect on COTW, it could grow in shade.
Thanks. I'm hoping that some I bought and still have to plant will tolerate the spot where I want to plant. Now I'll look at COTW.
I planted Ilka in shade, but it is too soon to offer any reports.
She's one of mine waiting for a home. Last night I was even dreaming of where to put clems!
I used the "Any Aspect" to order most of mine - I hope it works. I planted eleven in the shade this year, so won't know until next spring. I had also read that Silver Moon is a good one for the shade. I planted John Huxtable on the N side of the house last summer and he has done nothing....but I put Anna Marie in the hole with him 2 months later and she is showing some new growth. I asked Debbie about putting John in partial shade and she said that he should do fine.
I did put Ilka in the sun and she seems to like it there. Maybe we can compare next spring.
I often dream of planting flowers - probably the last thing I'm thinking about when I go to sleep :)
I have John in a southeast exposure. He get shade from a nearby pine from 12-2, the rest of the time it's sun for him.
We will definitely have to remember to compare next year!
I avoid anything but viticellas and some other group 3s in shade, as I've lost group 2s to wilt, including Silver Moon. My philosophy re planting clems in shade (as well as other kinds of plants that like more sun than I can give them), is to go for the cultivars famous for overwhelming vigor in their ideal conditions. Having said that, it's hard when you talk about shade to know if you're talking about the same kind of shade, and how the soil will factor in.
Just to prove myself wrong: this fall I have put in some atragene clems, which aren't group 3s at all, in pretty shady spots -- shady for sure now, but will have a good deal more sun in the spring when they bloom. Hope it works out.
This message was edited Oct 4, 2009 12:58 PM
I have Claire de Lune in the shade and Nelly Moser in partial shade. The only spot in my yard that gets full sun is the front so pretty much all my clems are in at least partial shade. This is my first year with clems but so far so good.
I planted Silver Moon just because I read that it is OK in shade. It gets maybe 2 hours of direct sunlight. It's in a "bright" spot next to the garage. It bloomed nicely and for a long time early this summer. Currently, it has the biggest, fattest buds! I hope they will open before the weather gets too cold.
Last year, I planted Lemon Chiffon in a heavily shaded spot. No direct sun, and it's between the house and some bushes. It came back this spring, crept up the fence, but no blooms -- yet. If it doesn't bloom next year, I'll relocate it.
I have Barbara Harrington and Nikolaj Rubstov (I think that's the name) on the north side. Maybe 2 hours of sun. Barbara bloomed all summer. NR is a slow poke, tho still creeping along. Both were new last year, so still settling in.
So far, I'm pleased with the clems in part shade.
Arlene
Chalk Hill published a listing quite some time ago regarding clems that will grow in shade or on a Northern Wall. Here is the list....http://store.chalkhillclematis.com/clematisforshade.html
I think that zones have something to do with it as well. Full sun in my zone will not be as strong as full sun in your zone or those that are further south.
Then there are those that will fade if the sun is too strong. Nelly Moser is one, Ville de Lyon another. It might be a good idea to research which clems will fade in the sun. Here is a picture of my Nelly - she is in a place that I thought would have enough shade to retain her coloring and as you can see, she is fading in the partial sun that she receives. What is really ironic is that I used to have iris here and I could not get them to flower as there was not enough sun for them......
Carolyn
Thanks, Carolyn. I'll look at the list and hope that at least one that I have, waiting to get planted, will fit the bill.
It's been my experience that Nelly Moser has the most color on brand new flowers and then they gradually fade. To me it's normal but to anyone who grows it in more shade it might not be so.
Here's the exact same Nelly Moser showing the new flowers as opposed to the older ones.
