Clematis 'TAE' old man's beard, clematis

Tae is a Japanese clematis raised by Ren Tanaka in 2009. It features extra large, 15-20 cm across flowers composed of 8, narrowly lanceolate, pointed tepals combining rich pink and white colours. They appear in profusion from the first decade of May and continue for 4-6 weeks. After a short summer break they re-bloom from early August until September, making somewhat smaller, deeper pink flowers. Leaves are rich green and emerge with wine red hues. Tae prefers full sun.

It belongs to Group 2 clematis. Its flowers appear first in late spring and early summer on last year’s sideshoots, and in mid- and late summer at the tips of the current year's shoots. In early spring remove dead and damaged stems before growth begins, trimming all remaining stems to where strong buds are visible. These buds provide a framework of second-year shoots that flower in late spring and early summer. The flowers may then be removed. Young shoots bear more flowers later in the summer.

Clematis likes deep, fertile, moist but well-drained soil that remains cool. You can grow a plant below clematis that will provide shade for its roots. Add garden compost in late winter and mulch it well. Fully hardy to about -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 18-02-2018