Purple Clematis
By Telme8
Vale of Glamorgan,
Wales 
After putting a photograph of my purple Clematis in my photos on GrowsonYou today, I have been requested the name. I planted near that spot a Hagley Hybred Mauve/Pink and a Ville-de-lyon Red/Pink neither of them in the books or the labels look like the colour of my Clematis. I would swear it is a Ville-de-Lyon. I know the colours in the books are a bit exagerated and not always true, but these seem far out. Otherwise my Clematis was wrongly labelled when I bought it. My photograph is an excellent match in colour, I( am putting a close up of it hopeing someone can name it correctly. Or do Clematis vary in colour according to the soil. We have very heavy Clay soil. It flowers in summer through to October
10 Oct, 2008
Answers
IT FLOWERS ONCE FROM MID SUMMER RIGHT THROUGH UNTILL END OF OCTOBER
10 Oct, 2008
Sorry - missed that bit - sorry sorry sorry - don't be cross with me - it's after my bedtime! I'll trawl through my books tomorrow. How big across are the flowers?
10 Oct, 2008
About 3/4 inches, sorry about the capitals pressed the wrong finger not being impatient!!
10 Oct, 2008
I think it's a C. jackmanii. In fact I am pretty certain it is. You get more flowers on yours than I do on mine but, like me, mine is getting old. I have just cut it back. You must have better conditions in welsh Wales Telme.
Not sure which jackmanii it is but this one on the BBC is pretty standard.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/2126.shtml
11 Oct, 2008
Thanks Sarraceniac but I am pretty sure it is not Jackmanii as I had one of those at the farm and checking in the Royal Horticultural A-Z Jackmanii has 4 petals this has 6. It has all the points 6 petals 3" flowers 5 Mtrs Ht. flowering from Mid summer to late Autumn as Etoile Violette but I certainly have not bought one with that label on it! But any one who is interested I would suggest you go for that to get something like I have, and you may get there! It may help to tell you this plant is about 10 years old to get to that size un checked, but sadly now I have had to cut it back to base to untangle it from the Banksia rose and the dreadfull unwanted Ivy which was chokeing everything.
11 Oct, 2008
I wondered at first sight if it was a C.jackmanii - but for the same reasons as you - number of petals as well as colour of stamens, decided it couldn't be. From what you say, you haven't been pruning it each spring? Interesting. Maybe I should leave some of my Clematis alone and see if they produce such a show! I will keep looking in my Clematis books but there are such a lot of possibilities. I have C. 'Gypsy Queen' which flowers from June and is still in flower. I think it's a darker purple, though. Etoile Violette flowers are a bit smaller, aren't they - yes, I've got that one as well!
P.S. I'm glad you weren't shouting at me!
11 Oct, 2008
The RHS says Jackmanii has 4 petals? I've just trolled a few (8) web sites and everyone else shows pictures of Jackmanii with 6 petals. The British Clematis Society is an exception. That has a picture of one with 4 petals so I assume that of the different types (and there are several) at least one has 4 petals. Perhaps that is Mr Jackman's original (pure) one (the RHS and BCS are somewhat conservative) and the rest are cultivars? Mine is definitely a Jackmanii of some kind and has six petals.
Yours could be an E. Violette but I would not totally discount a Jackie either. However Jackies are type 3 and to stay their best do need annual pruning and yours, you say, has never been pruned? But it looks full and healthy.
It is slightly baffling. Perhaps we will never know and you will just have to enjoy it. Isn't gardening fascinating?
11 Oct, 2008
Sarraceniac. Partly correct I have not pruned it along its length where it rambles but I do cut it up all along the bottom of the hang over every Autumn otherwise my flower bed and Euphobias and Cyclamine would be completely obliterated. Did not want to misslead you. It was not easy to prune it, as it had dissapeared into the Banksia and I did not want to cut it down low on the stem to inhibbit its spread. I only hope now that I have cut it back to base I hope I have not killed it, and wonder if I have to wait another 5 years to get my show back!!!!!
11 Oct, 2008
The only other one I considered was a General Sikorski. (I just got one so they are at the front of my mind.) But I soon dismissed that. The General's flowers are a lot bigger and not so profuse. Also I think it is less purple (more towards the mauve) I hope so anyway because that is what I want. I doubt if you will have to wait 5 years whatever it may turn out to be.
11 Oct, 2008
sorry haven't been around for a while, but saw your mystery and wondered if your clematis has a dark pink stripe on each petal. Normally six petals but sometimes produces seven. If so I would say it could be clematis "Sunset" suggest you check photos on the web to compare with.
15 Oct, 2008
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I really don't think that it is Ville de Lyon. That is definitely maroon, not purple. It isn't Hagley Hybrid, either as that is a definite mid pink with paler pink markings on the petals. When was it in flower? Has it flowered more than once? That would give some clues. I can see pale stamens in your photo. once you tell me its flowering time, I shall scour my Clematis books for possible names!
10 Oct, 2008