Venosa Violacea.

Lucky you--Venosa Violaea is a terrific clem. Mine is blooming right now and is so lovely.

I've done that too--planted a clem, it "disappears" for a couple years and I forget I even planted one there, and then suddenly, there it is in all its glory!

Life should always give us such surprises!

Kate

Venosa Violacea blooms on new wood so it should be chopped down to a foot tall or so every year. It is a spectacular Clematis that I will never be without.

Thank you everyone for the quick response!
I do have one question, though. If it likes a hard pruning, (and lets face it, who doesnt?)why does it seem that it only growes from new wood? Last year, we had nothing (alright, maybe a few small flowers), but this year, this is setting buds left and right. We did not prune it at all, but this year, and for the firsttime, it is really going!
Also, how can I get the plant to be more full (more leaves)? I am growing this clematis up a white lamppost, and it doesnt seem very "bushy" for lack of a better term...

Justin

It flowers on new wood. That's why you want to cut it back each year. It will grow new stems and the leaves and blooms will be lower. Someone in your zone can tell you the best time to cut it back each year.

The more you cut it back, the more stems you will get.

I don't know how similar our Zones 6 are (I'm in Kansas), but I prune Venosa Violacea and my other clems usually about February or so.

Kate

I am in zone 4 Iowa and I prune mine a little later as we still have snow on the ground until the end of March.Sometimes it's the first of April or whenever I can see new growth.
Lois