Boulevard® Edda Clematis

Size

There is no flower that says summer is here quite like the Clematis. Boulevard Edda Clematis is a smaller than average climbing clematis that knows how to stay in the bounds you place it in. Much better behaved than its cousins that can climb over your roof if you let them, Boulevard Edda will make gardening with clematis a breeze. The bright purple petals, the spidery spent flower seed pods and the apple green foliage all make for a great focal point in your garden bed, along your fence row, in a container on your patio, or climbing up your mailbox post. Native to China and Japan, clematis have been cultivated for hundreds of years, very successfully. There are many cultivars with varying attributes available to gardeners today, including the climbing clematis which is capable of scrambling up just about any vertical surface you plant it near. Boulevard Edda Clematis is a more compact grower, allowing you a versatility in where you can locate it for the best summer time viewing and appreciation. It is hardy in Zones 4 to 9. Boulevard® Edda Clematis Care Clematis are easy to care for once you have given them the proper growing habitat. Like all clematises, Boulevard Edda is going to want to have its head in the sun and its feet cool and shady. You may accomplish that with a light layer of mulch, or even with some strategically placed rocks. Preferring a rich, well draining soil with a full sun exposure, plant your new plant about 3 to 4 inches deep into the soil to cover the crown and protect new shoots. Water well to establish and then deeply throughout the season since clematis have deep roots. Fertilize with a low nitrogen fertilizer like a 5-10-10 alternating with a 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks for best results. It tolerates a wide range of soil types and pH ranges from acidic to alkaline and is one of the few flowers that thrive in a mostly alkaline soil. Deadheading, or cutting the flower off after it has faded, will help the plant to marshall its energies into more flower production. Cut down to just above the first set of leaves. Once the plant is done for the year, it will die back, but will spring back on viable roots the following spring. Clematis Edda is in pruning group 3, which means the plant blooms on new growth each year. So pruning at the end of the season is easy, just cut the plant down to about 12 inches above the soil level. Clean up all debris around the base and mulch with a good quality mulch to protect it for the winter but keep the mulch from the immediate area around the stems. If you find any wilted plant stems, remove them immediately from the plant and from the area to help prevent the spread of clematis wilt, a plant disease that can plague clematis. Boulevard® Edda Clematis Spacing Spacing clematis properly is important. Boulevard Edda will grow to about 48 inches tall and spread out up to 24 inches, so leave at least 24 inches between plantings. This will give good air circulation which is important in reducing any chance of plant diseases such as clematis wilt, and will give the plant room to grow vertically without becoming tangled in the plant next to it. Whether you enjoy it in a container on the patio, plant it on your fence or terrace, support it with a trellis or your mailbox post, you will enjoy the clean fresh colors of Boulevard Edda Clematis this summer.