Is Sweet Autumn Clematis Appropriate?

11 years ago

My neighbors utility vehicles are parked right up to my property line. They are less than lovely to look at all year long. I have some 7' tall x 3' wide black wire trellises I want to use to screen out the view. 'Though the space is facing SE it's fairly shaded by an oak adjacent to it. 1) Would SAClematis vines do well planted in this setting? 2) Would such trellises be stout enough to support them? If not, could you suggest a vine that would work in these conditions? (Prefer fast growing -- I'm prevented from putting a fence there and I really can't wait for years to hide this view...) Thank you! (Forgot again -- I'm in Zone 7a)

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NHBabs z4b-5a NH

11 years ago

Do you want year-round screening? Do you mind looking at dead vines? I don't know how long your winter is, but with clematis, you'll be looking either at dead vines, perhaps with dead leaves, or with type 3 prune clematis, you'll have to cut the vines down some time during the winter or early spring. If that doesn't bother you, I'd look into some of the medium sized clematis, but probably not a monster like sweet autumn that tends to be invasive in areas with a long enough season to ripen seeds and a reasonable amount of moisture. If you do a web search for "shade clematis" lists will pop up, since I have found them in the past that way.You could also go to the

Clematis on the Web search page

and if you go down to the field for aspect, put in shade or semishade, whichever you feel will best suit your situation, and see what pops up. Only some will be available in the US commercially, but of the ones I saw on the shade list, I know that many of the Evison clematis are available (Evipo#), and I have seen in the last couple of years from the shade list: Betty Corning (another large one but not as thuggish as sweet autumn), Bees' Jubilee, Ernest Markham, Fujimusume, Gravetye Beauty, Joe Zary, Kiri Te Kanawa, Lambton Park, Nelly Moser, Pink Champange, Princess Diana, Saphyra Indigo (AKA Saphire Indigo), Ville de Lyon, Tie Dye, virginiana (which looks a lot like sweet autumn without being as unmanageable and is native), and Rouge Cardinal. I've grown Betty Corning and Gravetye Beauty and in the sun, both are great, though I haven't tried them in the shade. Princess Di does fine with about 4 hours of sun for me as does Ville de Lyon and Guernsey Cream. Good online vendors of clematis include Brushwood (Georgia), Silver Star and Joy Creek (Pacific NW) and Hummingbird Farm (Maine). In my experience, each has a different selection most years.

Some other vines that might work include the native honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens, which I find relatively attractive in winter and has summer flowers in the red-orange-yellow range that hummingbirds love. Another possibility is Gelsemium sempervirens Margarita, with yellow flowers during warm spells in very early spring and evergreen foliage. I think there are some other Gelsemiums that would be hardy for you. I know selections of all of these are available at Brushwood.

Keep in mind that it will take 2 to 3 seasons for vines to give you a lot of coverage. You may want to mix in some larger shade-tolerant shrubs such as spicebush (mine is over my head from its start as a twig 5 years ago.)

Please update us with what you decide to plant.

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Comments (6)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
11 years ago
Sweet Autumn clematis is considered an invasive species in many areas of the country. You should check to be sure it is OK to plant in your area.

It would be happiest in a full sun location but part shade could work, I guess. There are any number of other clematis cultivars that would be more suited to a shadier situation and are less aggressive in habit and not nearly as massive as SAC in size. This is a very fast growing and large vine, easily reaching 25' so a single vine can overwhelm a 7' trellis rapidly. Many of the more shade tolerant clematis selections would be smaller in growth habit as well.

Otherwise, you might want to check out some annual vines like moonflower or cup and saucer vine or even sweet peas. These grow rapidly, tend to flower profusely through summer and generally not exceed the size your trellises would accommodate. An alternative choice might be Akebia quinata or chocolate vine. It can tolerate a good deal of shade and is mostly evergreen in mild climates.. But it also can put on considerable size and again has a reputation for invasiveness in some areas.
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florananny
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you -- you are very generous in sharing info. Yes, even dead vines are preferable to me (my alternative is looking out my big picture window upon his fleet of H&AC utility trucks and vans, plus paraphernaila :( I would love to have something everygreen or at least with winter interest, but, as I said, anything dense enough to screen that view -- even dead vegetation -- is preferable to me. I can see that SAClem is probably going to be too much for my trellises, but I'm going to 'study on' some other mentioned clematis and wait to see what's offered locally when the Nurseries open... Meanwhile I've started a few annual vines indoors for planting out. Hopefully they will at least do for the warmer weather. I would be happy to update -- maybe even get pix -- if I'm lucky and successful :)
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
11 years ago
Your local nurseries may or may not have decent selections, which is why I gave you online vendors with whom I have experience. All but Joy Creek (more expensive) I have ordered from multiple times. IME many local nurseries only carry type 2 prune varieties many of which are more challenging to grow, especially in the SE US. They are blooming when folks are shopping for plants in the spring, which is why nurseries carry them, rather than because they are better plants. IME some type 2 prune plants are healthy and easy to grow, but all the type 3 prune plants I've grown have been healthy and easy. I like easy.
florananny
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, thanks for the online resources. I like them but I've had a little less success with ordering plants online than with local selections. I'm lucky enough to be near 2 really good places with a huge range of healthy plants (and between them they probably offer more than a dozen different types of clematis alone) so I'm optimistic about finding something that will work for me :)
kitasei
10 years ago
Well I am going to speak up on behalf of the sweet autumn clematis. I am in 6b, and have it growing in several shady locations. It is dense and glossy over a long period since it leafs out early and grows fast. The dead vines are not so unattractive in the winter especially if you trim back the foliage (which is good idea anyway before it goes to seed). I admit I am partial to this plant because it saved my life when I offered to do all the flowers for a late August wedding. With little else blooming to choose from, I spied those twirling tendrils and white flowers and nearly fainted with joy. If I were in your situation, I would go with the SAC. That or a shade-tolerant rambling rose, nice and thorny to scratch up that fleet:)