Sweet Autumn Virginsbower Clematis terniflora
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Sweet Autumn Virginsbower:
Previously known as:
- Clematis cuspidatum
- Clematis dioscoreifolia
- Clematis maximowicziana
- Clematis paniculata
- Phonetic Spelling
- KLEM-ah-tiss tern-ih-FLOR-uh
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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This plant is problematic and alternatives should be considered. Please see the suggestions in the left-hand column.
Japanese Clematis blooms in the late summer to fall and has a sweet fragrance. While this plant can be very beautiful, it is a vigorous grower (spreading by seeds and runners) and requires active maintenance to control. It aggressively self-seeds and has escaped cultivation to invade forest edges, right-of-ways, and areas along streams and roads, it is considered an invasive species, particularly in the East, including North Carolina, and Midwest. To prevent self-seeding, cut the entire plant back to about three feet in the fall as soon as the flowers fade.
This plant can be grown to cover unsightly areas such as tree stumps, chain link fences, or as a shrub (with regular pruning), and in vertical spaces such as arbors, posts, trellises, or fences. If used as a ground cover, it will become sufficiently dense that weeds will struggle to survive.
Please consider using native plants. See suggestions to the left.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Clematis
- Species:
- terniflora
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central & South China to Japan.
- Distribution:
- It has naturalized in many parts of the USA, particularly in the East and Midwest, and is reported as invasive in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Shrub
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Dense
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Cream/Tan
- White
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Description:
- Plume-like seed heads (clusters of 5-6 fruits connected at the heads and each having a long white tail). The large achenes are ovoid and flattened in shape; they are thinly covered with appressed silky hairs.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers bloom in late summer (August) to fall (October) and are produced in terminal branching panicles of 3-12 flowers. Each monoecious flower has four pure white, narrow, petal-like sepals, approximately 50 stamens, and 5-10 pistils with long, plumose styles
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Deltoid
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3-5 leaflets with apically round and basally cordate leaflets can be toothed on young plants but are entire when mature. The long petioles of these compound leaves can lean or bend around neighboring objects for support; tendrils are not present.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Shredding
- Bark Description:
- longitudinally shredded bark on mature stems
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Shallowly-grooved stems grow from a tap root, starting out green and developing light brown, longitudinally shredded bark on mature stems.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Rock Wall
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Diseases
- Insect Pests
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- Clematis can cause severe mouth pain and ulcers if eaten. Toxic to dogs, cats, horses. Clinical signs are salivation, vomiting, diarrhea. In humans, symptoms may include dizziness, confusion, fainting, and convulsions. Fatalities are rare, due to the rapid and intense bitter taste and mouth irritation from eating. Gastric lavage is recommended and anti-inflammatory to soothe irritated tissue. Contact dermatitis results in skin redness and burning sensation for some people, gardening gloves are recommended.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- protoanemonin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
- Sap/Juice
