A dark colored clematis that blooms roughly the same time looks nice with Blue Angle. If you look at the spring fever thread you will see a photo of my BA and Warsaw Nike on an obelisk.

Took me so long to get back here! I did get an obelisk on Moms'Day & took 2 Clems (still in 4-gal pots) to the site to see how they do w/ longer than usual sun exposure & waited for them to finally unfurl their buds for me to ID them. Both are Blue Angels! I have then decided to set them on both sides of the obelisk.

My problem ~ I wrapped each pot w/ garden wire as a temporary trellis & wondering now if I'll have to sacrifice all the growths + buds & blooms to set them in place?

Will appreciate your thoughts! Thanks in advance!!!

You have three choices,
1. try to carefully unwrap the vines from the temporary trellis,
2. plant the clematis with the temporary trellis in place and after it blooms cut the plant back and remove the temporary trellis or
3. wait until after the plants bloom and cut the vines back and then plant.

I would wait and plant after bloom to be able to plant the clematis a bit deeper than the pot level.

Here is a link that might be useful: Spring Fever

Thank you mnwsgal ~ I might just follow your thoughts & wait 'til after blooms (2 of my surprise survivors of past winter)!
I've lost 4 of my 8 double-potted young clams stored in a holding pen (very well protected against the wall) not due to the last severe & sustained sub-freezing but due to the snap 26ð in mid-Apr after I've released them (weeks of 60ð+-70ð+ temps). These 2 Blue Angels, Piilu & Com.de B were survivors & thriving now!!!

I have yet much to learn! Of the 8 in-ground Clems only HH/Pink Chiffon has not taken a peek & Dr Ruppel is yet trying his might climbing the rest have started their show w/ Josephine & Cezanne are eager beavers!

It was indeed a rough last winter lost 1 old KO rose the rest rebooted from the crown & TG no hydra casualty!!!

FWIW ~ TIA for reading!

'Tis me again mnwsgal ~ Good morning. AB is loaded w/ blooms now & I'm wondering how long will I have to wait for the blooms to last to be able to set both in place (following choice #3) to get them established well. I don't want to risk losing these 2 if we have another winter like our last one!

Am sorry ~ I tried reading about bloom-time etc on Blue Angel & pruning for a 2nd show ~ I couldn't find one on the subject.

Many thanks again!

Since Blue Angel is a type 3 pruning clematis you might have a main flush of blooms and a few more blooms from now until fall. Mine usually blooms mid-June through mid-August (late this year due to cool wet spring). You can wait until early fall to plant and it should survive fine over the winter, mulch well.

If it is not too hot in your area you can choose #2 and plant them now then cut them back after the main flush. We want to get every bloom but that is not the best for the plant, sacrificing a few blooms for good root and more stems will give you a more robust plant in the following years. It may take three years in the ground to mature and bloom profusely. Some take longer and all will depend on their siting. Some of those in more shade that have to compete with tree roots are taking longer.

Here in Z:4 pruning after first bloom does not give me a second bloom because frost comes too soon. I find mine have an occasional blossom even into the fall. I only prune in the summer to manage any unruly growth. In a few years you might want to experiment to see what works for your zone or someone from Z:5 might add their experiences with pruning.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Angel

Many thanks again mnwsgal! We've been doled out humid 90ð days that cools down after sundown. I've been able to relocate a few plants due to sun exposure reasons (in the same site) & so far so good.

4 of my 5 Shenandoah Switch grass in the site may have suffered from this last winter (just now slowly filling w/ green blades) the reason I'm eager to set these 2 BA now to establish strong roots w/ time ~ may just sacrifice blooms as a trade off!

Many thanks too, for the link ~ in my excitement to find BA last season, that can climb up to cover a 7ft arbor or obelisk I failed to read up on it over winter & plan better. BTW by "too hot" would the 90s(heat-index of 100s) that cools down by 10-15 degs. be safe enough?

TIA

90s are probably too hot for me but only you know what works for you. Be sure to shade it for a few days if you plant now. I am planting evenings in the low 80s when I expect the next day to be cloudy/rainy. That's every other day here this spring.