About Clematis L.
Clematis terniflora is a woody vine with opposite, pinnately compound, leathery, shiny green leaves. Each leaf holds 3 to 5 oval to elliptic leaflets that have cordate bases. Its climbing branches are shallowly 4 to 10-grooved. Fully grown plants reach 15 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 30 feet wide. The plant produces white, wide-spreading non-recurved sepals for its flowers; flowers are bisexual, though some individual flowers in the same inflorescence may be unisexual. Flower pedicels are slender and measure 1 to 3.5 cm long. This species blooms in fall. After fertilization in late fall, seed clusters form that hold 5 to 6 connected fruits, each with a long white tail. As the fruits dry, their color fades and the tail becomes feather-like. In spring, mature fruits detach and are dispersed by wind. This species self-seeds and grows aggressively. Common issues affecting this plant include aphids, vine weevils, leaf spot, stem rot, and powdery mildew. Clematis terniflora is native to northeastern Asia, specifically the Amur region, North-Central China, South-Central China, Southeast China, Inner Mongolia, Japan, Khabarovsk, Korea, Manchuria, Nansei-Shoto, Ogasawara-Shoto, Primorye, and Taiwan. It was introduced to the United States in the late 1800s as an ornamental garden plant, and has naturalized across many eastern and Midwestern U.S. states. It grows successfully in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. In the wild, it is typically found along forest edges and in locations with high sun exposure. The leaves of Clematis terniflora are currently studied for their anti-inflammatory effects. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat tonsillitis, cholelithiasis, and conjunctivitis. Researchers are examining the anti-inflammatory effect of an ethanol extract from C. terniflora leaves using activated macrophages, which play central roles in inflammatory response. This research aims to develop an effective pharmacotherapy treatment for Acute Lung Injury (ALI). In the United States, the plant is commonly used as a decorative garden plant. It has flexible growing habits: it can act as ground cover, climb fences and trellises to create a dense blanket-like landscaping effect, and can be aggressively pruned to grow as a shrub, though this pruning requires heavy care and maintenance. It is also used by pollinators during late summer and early autumn. For cultivation, Clematis terniflora prefers full sun, but will still produce flowers when grown in partial shade. These woody-stemmed plants can be pruned in fall or early spring to within a couple of feet of the ground. They can climb fences, trellises, arbors, or other plants to reach heights of 10 to 30 feet, or can be left to sprawl along the ground as dense ground cover. It blooms on new growth. It has no serious insect or disease problems, and does not require fertilizer or frequent watering. It will benefit from an application of low-nitrogen fertilizer such as 5-10-10 in spring. It is considered deer resistant.
