Hi, I was reading some older entries in the Dave's Garden Clematis forum and came across references to a form of Autumn clematis becoming very invasive. Can anyone tell me if this is the invasive form? It will be blooming in a couple of days! Thank you, Lee Sherwood McDonald
Yes, Yes, Yes, do not plant it. You will wind up with it everywhere, in your lawn, in the trees. your next door neighbor will get it. I hate it. I have been pulling it out for 10 years and I am still finding it growing other places that it seeded.
Marie, Thank you so much!! I will completely remove this plant before it has a chance to reseed. As soon as I see what might be seeds that could be close to mature I will cut it to ground level get rid of the entire top growth and dig out the roots. I do want to see it flower but, adios when the seed pods look to be heading to ward maturity. I will try to post picture of this whole process so we can all contribute to its demise!! Lee Sherwood McDonald
I think many of you are too quick to dismiss this choice of "Sweet Autumn Clematis" (SAC). In the *right* location it can provide an impressive display of white flowers in the late summer and early fall.
By coincidence I took a picture just today of my only 2nd summer SAC beginning to 'open up'. It is starting up while the 'Madam Baron Veillard' that you see is on its last blooms:
I don't know about Canada, but it grows wild here.I see it in the woods all over. Maybe it you are growing it in a contained place it is not so bad, but I have had others agree that it will start to come up everywhere and you cant get rid of it.
I find 'SAC' less difficult to control than 'Summer Snow'. Each spring I cut back both to the ground and that helps with the spread.
Hi Mary and Rouge, So, What are practices to keep this very hansom plant well managed? I have always enjoyed her appearance.I saw her over the years and I planted her two Springs ago and the plant has grown and flowered nicely both seasons. She is just starting to flower again. I do intend to cut her back to 2 ft. when she is mostly bloomed out and remove any seed pods I see on the remains or laying about. I am not overly concerned about removing the plant but will keep it if I wont create a monster ! Thank you, Lee
Another case of someone's invasive monster versus a healthy, no-care late blooming vine!
Sweet Autumn Clematis is starting to bloom here in central Missouri at a time when little else has survived August heat and drought. I just love it! Fragrant, delicate-looking, hummers and bees visit it, and so it covers up chainlink fence and the frilly seedpods later on last most of the winter - more interest. Yes, you can prune it hard (and give away rootings) but it's a winner here in Zone 5a-b. Not half as invasive as Trumpet Vine (Campsis ......radicans?)
If you prune the blooms when they are spent, and don't allow it to seed, it can be controlled.
This message was edited Sep 6, 2011 6:51 PM
Hi Everyone, Thank you all for reply on this fascinating plant ! Melvatoo I am intending to hard prune as you see in my 9/6 post. Pruning shaping and plant control for beauty, vigor and utility are my favorite parts of the art of gardening. Lee Sherwood McDonald
p.s. It's raining very hard this a.m.!
I hope the third time is the charm- my first two replies disappeared into cyberspace-strange!
This pic is of my Sweet Autumn blooming with a stray Morning Glory and a Chelone "Hot Lips". Nice color for this time of year. So far I'm loving it!
MWhit
Sorry -forgot to re-rotate the image!! MW
Tiffen, I just love your gardens !, we seem to have the same style, you are just much better at it! I hate you (JUST KIDDING!!) Lee Sherwood McDonald
Greenside,
If by style you mean wretched excess, that would be me!! I just can't seem to have any sense of dicipline when it comes to gardening.
I can't say no to the offer of a plant, can't pass on a good buy at the greenhouse, can't resist cramming one more plant into an area already bursting at the seams with stuff.
I also have a hard time composting perfectly good plants when I am forced to thin things out, so I am constantly hauling buckets full of "starts" to work or to my sisters' homes. If someone asks for a "start" from me it comes in at least a gallon sized container!
Everytime I think of downsizing to a smaller place I start making a mental list of which plants I would "have" to take with me and pretty soon I give up on the idea. Our yard is a town lot 75' wide by 270' long. When we moved here 40 years ago it had a row of Arborvitae down one side and part way across the back of the lot; and one dead cherry tree in the middle of the yard. The cherry tree is gone but we still have the Arborvitae 30-40 ft tall now.
The center of the back yard still has lawngrass but I have been gradually encroaching on it from all sides with a shrub border, shade garden, small pond, vegetable garden and sun loving flower beds! My handy husband has added arbors,fences and paths of antique brick and stepping stones.
Have you posted pictures of your gardens on DG? I was in upstate NY this summer (Fingerlakes area) and it was beautiful!! I'd love to see what a fellow gardenoholic has done!
Thanks for the kind words, MW
Tiffin and everyone,I would like to share pictures of my gardens and the area. The question is where would I post them ? I am also thinking it might be fun for all interested to post pics of our overall gardens in the long non growing season of we northern gardeners. I live about 30 miles south of the Finger Lakes, my wife, I and our friends spend a lot of time on Keuka Lake and also sail on Seneca Lake which is forty miles long and up to five miles wide! What do the members of "Clematis in the Gardens" think about using this site for postings of other than Clematis issues? Lee Sherwood McDonald
MWhit - you sound just like me. If I can cram another plant in that is great because I definitely have a problem restraining myself in the nurseries. I have got to a point where I have taken myself off the co op lists, because I don't have the room and if it grows, I like it.
I beleive there is a forum for gardens and there are areas where pictures of our gardens can be posted on DG or you can look at the forums on landscaping, perennials, garden tours and cottage gardening.
Carolyn is right -any forum you post in has an option to post pictures (just click on "browse" and attach the picture.) If you post in another forum you can always post a note in this one to say "I just posted a cool pic in the "rose forum" or whatever!!
I don't think you would get arrested for posting in the "wrong"form but using the appropriate forum will widen your circle of DG friends and let you explore the huge diversity here!
I keep trying to cut down the number of forums I follow but I am afraid I might miss something!! Some I don't get to every day but all are interesting I have found.
I will post a general picture just to see if the Plant Police come for me!! This is a pale pink tree peony I've had for about 10 years-it is a beauty!!
PS: I would love to see pictures of all your gardens no matter where you post them. MW
Hi, my SAC is starting to bloom well, I am glad I can keep her from becoming invasive by pruning all flowered growth in late fall. Lee Sherwood McDonald
p.s. Mwhit-Still composing! LSM
If the SAC spreads by dropping seed then I better plan on nipping some of that robust growth back this fall as well- Let's see, If each flower has one seed and I have a million flowers-that would equal...way too much of a good thing!!
How far back should I cut?
Thanks, MW
Lee - that is so beautiful!
MWhit -I would trim the entire calex.
mwhit SAC does spread by seed and it comes up all over t he place. In my garden if you let the seedlings get out of hand they are very difficult to dig up. Round up does not kill them. I have one plant I noticed to day that has been dug up three times and sprayed with round up twice.
When it is climbing in the trees it is hard to get to the seed pods. So I get them coming up all over my yard.
Yikes!! I better prune soon (and hard!) I've already done the Campsis radicans thing, the english ivy thing and several others-don't want to do that again!! I'm getting too old to work that hard any more. When will I learn? MW
Same here Mwhit. Age is catching up with me.
I don't know if the previous owner planted it or if it just came up by it self. Oh it is pretty and smells great. My neighbor says ,"Oh let it grow it smells wonderful" But I cant do that. It has been trying to take over that wooded lot and spread those pods all through my yard. I do know that they planted Bamboo in the corner of the back yard, and it is spreading into the wooded lot next to me. I hope I don't get blamed for that.
Mari_kap- I cut my SAC stems abpot 2 feet above the ground line. The top is dying back so soon as not to set seed. I suspect thee plant will take ogg from that remaining uncut vine....I'll bet cha!! Lee Sherwood McDonald;d
Like I said it is growing in the wooded lot. I cant really get to the bottom of the plant. It is just too much now. I pull it down out of the trees what I can and pull out of the ground as much as I can.
yes, Marie- I know what you mean. Eradicating some of these rampant growers is NOT a one time thing. It's actually more like a career!! When I made the Trumpet vine mistake I swear I dug starts out for five years at least!
I'm still fighting the English Ivy- I've tried to keep some because it looks really good climbing over an old stump and in a few other spots but every time I catch it trying to strangle another of my Hosta I think "OK This will be war!" I think it all needs to go!
This Shade Garden shot is really dark but it shows just one area I need to rid of the ivy!
Oh well, I guess I'll have all winter to plot my attack.
Good Luck, Marie and just keep rippin' it!! MW
I have an area that I thought oh , ivy would look good there. OH no, what a mistake, It is taking over no matter how many time i run the mower over it. I need to find the main root that it started from and start cutting and pulling.
