Italian Leather Flower
Clematis viticella
- Native to:
- Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Italy, Lebanon-Syria, NW. Balkan Pen., Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe
Epibase
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus:
- Clematis
- Species:
- Clematis viticella
- USDA Symbol:
- CLVI7
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Vine
- Height:
- 400 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, violet, blue, pink, red, white
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
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:
- native to riverbanks and woodland edges
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Germination can be erratic and slow. Seeds benefit from cold stratification and may take several months to germinate.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20C 6 wks then 4C 6 wks then slowly raise to 10C 6 wks. Repeat if no germination. Tails on pulsatilla/clematis: leaving on has no effect.