Water
Water regularly, especially during dry spells, ensuring the soil remains consistently moist but not waterlogged. Reduce watering in winter. Established plants are quite drought-tolerant once settled.
Overwatering can lead to root rot.
Also known as Clematis · Curpen · Evergreen Clematis
Old man's beard (Clematis vitalba) is a vigorous, deciduous climber with scented creamy-white flowers followed by attractive fluffy seed heads.
At-a-glance light, water, soil, and growing conditions from plant data
Full sun to partial shade
75% intensity
Prefers full sun for best flowering, but tolerates partial shade.
Moderate
50% intensity
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, reduce in winter.
Well-drained
50% intensity
Hardy
25% intensity
Tolerates a wide range of temperatures, hardy in most climates.
Low
25% intensity
Feed annually in spring with a balanced fertilizer; avoid over-fertilizing.
Safety information from plant toxicity data
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Toxic for humans | No 0/5 intensity |
| Toxic for pets | No 0/5 intensity |
| Edible | No |
Contains saponins and glycosides, causing gastrointestinal upset if ingested.
Key traits and growing stats from plant data
Watering, pruning, propagation, and repotting details from plant data
Water regularly, especially during dry spells, ensuring the soil remains consistently moist but not waterlogged. Reduce watering in winter. Established plants are quite drought-tolerant once settled.
Overwatering can lead to root rot.
Prune hard in late winter or early spring. Remove dead, weak, or overcrowded stems. You can cut back flowering stems to about 1-2 buds from the base to encourage vigorous new growth and flowering.
Old man's beard tolerates severe pruning.
Easily propagated from cuttings taken in summer. Take semi-ripe cuttings and root them in a moist, well-drained medium. Alternatively, sow fresh seeds in autumn or spring.
Layering is also an effective method for vegetative propagation.
Repot young plants every 2-3 years in spring, moving them to a slightly larger container. For mature plants, it's often better to refresh the top layer of soil or transplant them into the garden as they become large.
Ensure good drainage.
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Monthly activity intensity for bloom and fruit across both hemispheres.
Flowering & fruiting calendar
Flowering & fruiting calendar
Photos of Old Man's Beard (Clematis vitalba)
Common names and botanical synonyms
Botanical classification
| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Ranunculales |
| Family | Ranunculaceae |
| Genus | Clematis |
| Species | Clematis vitalba |
Similar in genus Clematis
Answers based on plant encyclopedia data
