What is this clematis? And a question about it.

[poppycat]

This Clematis came with our house. This is the first year it has bloomed. Does anyone know which one it is?

A close up. It's leaves are evergreen.

Here's my question:

In the photo below look at the wild stuff growing out of the top of the clematis. It's wisteria. I'm thinking that over time that wisteria will get HUGE and be inappropriate for that spot, but it's all wound around in the clematis. Do you think I should try to figure out which stem belongs to the wisteria and cut it off at the ground? This is what I'm inclined to do, but I'm a little hesitant. Good idea or bad?

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

It looks like Clematis cartmanaii Joe (or Joanne)

That's what it closely resembles from anything else in our reference books.

Here's what else they have to say:

An evergreen, growing about 6-8 feet normally but can reach as much as 12 feet. Is hardy to about 25 degrees F. Blooms early to mid spring to late summer. Pruning group 1. Prune right after flowering.

That's the closest it seems to me but I could be very wrong?

Either way about your question. I'd leave them and keep them both. If nothing else, wait a season and then in the fall cut back the clematis and move it. I say move the clematis because they usually take better to transplanting than wisteria do. In my experience. Either way make sure you keep as much of the root ball together and only do this in the fall or winter or in early spring before new growth has begun.

 

[poppycat]

Thanks OaklandCityFarmer.

I hadn't thought about trying to separate them hmmmm. It might be like trying to separate siamese twins.

Maybe in the fall.

 

[aquarose]

Wisteria scares me. I have a young volunteer wisteria about 5 feet tall in my backyard. I have been pondering what to do with it. It is in a good place, near a sturdy fence. My daughter and I both love the way it looks. But driving around town I see that it is almost rampant. It grows up into trees, takes over entire yards, I am frightened. I have decided to pull it up. I have not got the energy to keep up with it. If you just cut it off at the base, you might have to continue doing that regularly for a long time before it actually dies.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Wisteria will definitely take over pretty quickly and requires a lot of pruning and training.

Being so close to your house, you might want to move it to a better location. Maybe a pergola or overhang somewhere? Great excuse to build one, if one doesn't already exist.