Rachel, congratulations on your attempt at growing clematis from seed. It can be both an exciting endeavor and a nerve wracking experience at the same time. I have tried several times to remove the seed coat from seeds that have germinated and lost quite a few of them by breaking the seed portion off. My advice would be to leave them alone and see what happens on their own. If there are green portions of the plant visible, then that portion of the plant is actively photosynthesizing and should not be covered up and should be given as much light exposure as possible (I use a fluorescent light with regular bulbs for my seedlings.) As the plant matures more, you can always bury the plant deeper as you pot it up. I have several seedlings growing now that still have the seedcoats on them and they are being left alone.

Another point to consider is that since you really don't know what type of clematis seed you have, you don't really know whether you have seeds that germinate via hypogeal or epigeal germination processes. The difference in the two is that in hypogeal germination the seed itself stays below ground and the plant puts new growth out of the stem near the root portion of the plant and not out of the seedcoat itself. One thing to take into account is that the pictures I am posting are of seeds that were started in baggies in vermiculite and that were transplanted into potting mix with the seed sitting where it is now showing.

Here is an example of a seed that is germinating via hypogeal germination. On the far left you can see the seed and the new stem appears to be coming out of the portion of the root below the seed.

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In epigeal germination, the plant pushes the seed coat up out of the ground and the first embryonic leaves appear out of the seedcoat. Think of planting beans and how the seed gets pushed up out of the ground and then splits open and the first leaves come out of the seed itself.

Here are a couple of pictures I just took of some seedlings I currently have going where the seed is sitting at or just above ground level.

In this picture the seed is visible just about level with the rim of the pot.

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The following two pictures are of the same seedling with the seed at about 10 o'clock and the new little green shoot appearing about 5 oclock. It also appears that there is some green at the bottom of the seed itself. Like you, I have thought about trying to remove the seedcoat, but am holding firm in not doing it since I am likely to kill the plant in the process. My feeling is that if the seedcoat is supposed to come off, it will when the plant is ready to shed it.
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And the last one showing the seed about 2 oclock and the little green shoot dead center in the picture.
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Seeds that germinate hypogeally appear to be slower to get going since if the seeds had been planted below the soil level, it will only be when the new shoot appears above ground level that you will actually know you have a germination.

Like I said previously, I would leave the plants alone, allow them to get growing and put on more green growth and then when ready to pot up, you can always bury the stem and the seed, if still attached and present, below the ground level.

Good luck and keep us updated on your progress!

Thank you! The pictures were really helpful! I did not even think about hypogeal germination being a possibility- but I will definitely leave the seed coat alone and increase their light exposure.

Hopefully I will have pictures to post soon!

Rachel

You are welcome Rachel. Some clematis exhibit hypogeal germination and others epigeal. Don't have a complete list of which do which type but since you are unsure of the seeds you have, then it wouldn't even matter one way or the other. To be quite honest, even if there were a list available, if the seeds are from hybrids, I am not sure if the list would help. I just wing it most of the time and don't worry about it. Looking forward to your pictures in the future!!!

PS My seedlings are outside right now and were outside yesterday for several hours. I try to give them as much of the real thing at this time of the year as long as the temps are above 40 degrees or so!