Take a look at Paul Farges. It is a very strong grower for me.

Katie

Hi Katie,

I see Brushwood also carries it. I'll add it to the list above. What's the fragrance like? Is it similar to sweet autumn clematis or different like honeysuckle?

Brad AKA Moonwolf

I don't believe it has much if any fragrance. It sure does cover the fence. I left long arms on it (much like a grape vine) and it comes back year after year and covers about a 20 ft length on the fence. The fence is 6 ft high, it covers all the way to the ground. Definitely not a clematis for a small area. Another big cover clematis is jouiniana. I use it as a ground cover. It will climb anything nearby.

Katie

another big one is triternata rubromarginata. Its got a good fragrance, too.

I wouldn't drop Sweet Autumn too quickly, though. I had one for 6 years and I got no volunteers, my next door neighbor got about 10, which I offered to remove for her, until she confessed she had been planting dozens of seed-heads hoping for a plant like mine. She's very happy with the couple she kept.

~Chills

I also read that SAC can be invasive. I too want to plant one but am afraid of weediness. Does anyone in Southern Calif. grow one and if so, do you find it invasive?

Clematis vitalba is a Class B invasive plant in Oregon. https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/Weeds/OregonNoxiousWeeds/Pages/Law.aspx

It's an old thread but any of the three alternate species listed by the OP would work and none are considered invasive - the first two are natives. And all three are fragrant as well, although probably not as intensely so as AC.