Clematis Yukikomachi - Clématite précoce à grandes fleurs

The clematis ‘Yukikomachi’ is a vintage Japanese variety prized for its large flowers in particularly soft colours, white washed and touched with lavender. This pastel bloom stands out well in partial shade or against a dark background. Compact for a large-flowered clematis, it climbs a trellis, a small arch, or can be grown in a large container. This small climbing plant may rebloom in late summer if its stems are not pruned severely after the spring flowering.

This deciduous climbing plant belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. Its leaves dry and fall in autumn, while its woody stems persist through winter. 'Yukikomachi' was bred in Japan by Chieko Kurasawa and first introduced in 1984. It belongs to the group of early large-flowered clematis, formerly known as Patens. Its parentage includes the varieties ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ and ‘Fujimusume’, from which it is thought to have inherited its floribundity and mauve tones. Its voluble stems reach 2 to 2.50 m and spread 1 to 1.50 m. They do not twine directly around the support; rather, the leaf petioles curl and cling to twigs, wires, and fine trellises. The deciduous foliage, a medium green, forms a fairly dense cover on its support. The first flowers appear in May and June on the previous year's stems. A second, often less abundant, flowering can occur in August and September on the current year's shoots. The flowers, flat and widely open, measure 10 to 12 cm in diameter. They are formed of six to eight broad, slightly undulate sepals, whose colour changes depending on the light and the age of the flower. Initially creamy white washed with mauve, they then fade, but usually retain a fine lavender edge. The pale yellow to greenish stamens remain clearly visible. Very hardy, this clematis withstands down to –25 °C in well-drained soil. Like many large-flowered hybrids, it nevertheless appreciates a soil without stagnant water.

On a trellis fixed against a brick wall, a dark wooden panel, or in front of dark foliage, the very luminous bloom of this clematis ‘Yukikomachi’ stands out particularly well. It can also climb into a red climbing rose, such as ‘Le Grand Huit’, provided the two plants are trained separately to facilitate pruning. A summer clematis like ‘Étoile Violette’ will take over, but it should be guided onto another part of the support since it is pruned hard in late winter. To shade the base of clematis, one can plant the hardy geranium ‘Rozanne’ which flowers for several months in blue-violet tones. A small pure white columbine like ‘Winky White and White’ is also suitable in a less sunny situation. In a container, a support at least 1.50 m high allows the plant to naturally spread its stems.