Pale Leather Flower
Clematis versicolor
- Native to:
- United States
iNaturalist: © saveland (iNaturalist #26769239)






Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus:
- Clematis
- Species:
- Clematis versicolor
- USDA Symbol:
- CLVE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Vine
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, lavender, purple
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers woodland edges and open forests
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Germination can be erratic and slow; seeds may benefit from light exposure during germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Expose to fluctuating outdoor winter temps incl. freezing for 3 months. Increase light/temp in spring. Tails on pulsatilla/clematis: leaving on has no effect.