Finding the right clematis for Florida

Talk about gorgeous. The jackman clematis vine is a large-flowered Asian hybrid that displays 5-inch-wide purple blossoms from mid-spring to late autumn -- but not here in Central Florida. Like almost all Asian and European clematis planted in South and Central Florida, the lovely jackman struggles for a while, then dies.

The Sunshine State does boast a number of native clematis, including virgin's bower (C. virginiana), which flaunts abundant small, white flowers in the warm season before going dormant in winter. There's also leather flower (C. crispa), an attractive denizen of wetlands that features white or magenta blossoms in spring. Among other natives are C. reticulata, baldwinii, glaucophylla and catesbyana. Among these native clematis, only virgin's bower is widely grown.

One exotic clematis, however, does perform outstandingly in our climate: Sweet autumn clematis (C. terniflora) is cultivated from the Panhandle to the Keys, producing eye-popping masses of white, fragrant flowers for weeks in late summer.

Sweet autumn is a rampant, deciduous vine that, given the opportunity, can climb 30 feet high in a season. It's just as content, though, growing on a fence, trellis or arbor.

This Japanese plant's foliage is dark, glossy green with each leaf divided into three to five leaflets. The stalks of clematis leaves twine around any nearby, suitably sized support, enabling the plants to gain height. When support is unavailable, clematis can become messy-looking heaps of leaves and stems unless care is taken to prevent stems from twining around one another. With patience, clematis can be encouraged to form groundcovers.

Unlike most clematis species and hybrids, sweet autumn -- also called Japanese clematis and tropical clematis -- requires minimal direct sun to flower well. Our sandy soil, however, is problematic, so it's advisable to enrich planting sites with organic matter before installation and to mulch heavily afterward. This vine, like other summer and fall-flowering clematis, blooms on stems produced earlier in the year -- in spring -- so pruning, if done, should be performed in late autumn or winter.

Sweet autumn clematis (C. terniflora) is unfortunately listed in many catalogs, and by most nurseries, as C. paniculata, so don't be misled: The plants they're offering are almost certainly the one you want -- sweet autumn clematis.

Plants and seeds are available online.

Charles Reynolds is a member of the Garden Writers Association of America.