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Sweet Autumn Clematis

Clematis terniflora

Regular price $3022
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Delivery and Shipping

Delivery and Shipping

Fast, Safe Plant Delivery
Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Plant Profile & Growing Essentials

Fragrant, Flowering, Groundcover, Attracts pollinators, Cold hardy, Drought resistant, and Fast-growing

Specifications

  • Botanical Name
    Clematis terniflora
  • Height
    20-30 ft
  • Width
    10-20 ft
  • Growing Zones
    5-9
  • Sunlight
    • Full sun
    • Partial shade
  • Growth Rate
    Fast
  • Flower Color
    • White
  • Leaf Color
    • Green
  • Fall Color
    Yellow
  • Native
    Yes
  • Pollinator Friendly
    Yes
  • Pollinator Required
    No
  • Fragrant
    Yes
  • Bloom Period
    Late Summer, Early Fall, Late Fall
  • Does Not Ship To
    AK, HI, ID, MT

Planting & Care Instructions

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: This vigorous climber thrives in full sun to partial shade, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight for the best flower production. While it tolerates more shade than most clematis, less sun usually results in fewer of those iconic vanilla-scented white blooms.
  • Soil: Aim for rich, well-drained soil that stays consistently moist but not soggy. If you have heavy clay, mix in organic compost to improve drainage, as "wet feet" can lead to root rot.

Watering Requirements

During the first growing season, provide 1 inch of water per week to help the root system establish itself deep in the soil. Once mature, Sweet Autumn Clematis is quite drought tolerant, but inconsistent moisture during the hottest weeks can lead to crispy leaf edges and smaller flower clusters. Think of regular watering as fuel for that massive late-season growth spurt.

Pruning Tips

This variety blooms on new wood, meaning it produces flowers on the stems that grow during the current season. In late winter or very early spring, cut the entire plant back to about 12 inches above the ground to prevent it from becoming a tangled, woody mess. This "hard prune" acts like a reset button, encouraging fresh, vigorous vines and keeping the fragrant flowers at eye level.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer (like a 10-10-10 formula) in early spring just as new growth begins to emerge. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer because this encourages lush green leaves at the expense of flower production. Excess nitrogen late in the year also prevents the plant from hardening off properly before the first frost.

Amazingly Fragrant Sweet Autumn Clematis Vine

  • Covered in Delicate, Pure White Flowers
  • Flowers from Late Summer to Fall
  • Incredible Fragrance Perfumes the Neighborhood
  • Large Scale
  • Cover Structures with a Soft, Fluffy Mound of Blooms
  • Use as Groundcover
  • Tolerates High Heat and Cold Winters
  • Very Vigorous Growth
  • Tolerates Some Shade
  • Pruning Group 3

Love fragrant plants? Start off your growing season with Lilacs or Korean Spicebush; then enjoy Roses and Lavenders.

Finish off your scented garden by growing a beautiful vine that makes your whole neighborhood smell amazing! Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) grows quickly to cover sturdy structures and delights all who come near with its marvelous fragrance

You'll swear the delicate white blooms smell like citrus fruit and spun sugar! Wrap your patio or garden gate in their effervescent, uplifting fragrance.

Starting in summer, you'll start seeing many hundreds of tiny buds develop above the dark green leaves. They'll open into petite, star-shaped flowers and continue to bloom from late summer through fall.

All season, these vigorous vines create a beautifully mounded bower of lustrous, dark green foliage. In bloom, they are liberally festooned in an enchanting display.

Even after the flower power has passed, the feathery seed heads add interest and texture. Keep them standing, unless you want to control their size and spread.

What's more...nothing could be easier to grow and maintain with simple care requirements. In fact, in some areas this vine does "too well".

Type in your Zip Code to see if there are any regulations for this vine in your area. Nature Hills is so proud to partner with Plant Sentry™, an online shipping compliance tool to help protect ecosystems across the United States.

If you can safely grow this outstanding vine, you'll gain an extraordinary garden feature. Their lavish, billowing charm is unmatched, when grown in the right area.

Of course, you'll also support butterflies and pollinators with this free-flowering choice. They certainly appreciate the late season nectar...especially the Monarchs as they gear up for their long annual migration.

Sweet Autumn Clematis is an experience! Breathe deep and savor their sweet fragrance in your own yard...order now.

How to Use Sweet Autumn Clematis in the Landscape

This robust climber needs a sturdy structure. However, the leaf stalks of Sweet Autumn Clematis twine best around narrow supports; so you may need to add garden mesh first.

Install your structure first before you plant. They'll happily climb up trellises, poles, trees and garden structures like obelisks and towers.

It's easy to add height, color and a charming vertical accent with their help! There is nothing so refreshing as a glass of iced tea sitting under a vine-covered pergola or arbor.

Sweet Autumn Clematis is especially wonderful growing up and over a garden gate. Treat yourself like royalty, and capture the imagination of all who pass under their fleecy, fragrant flowers.

It's easy to start them moving horizontally, too. Let them grow through an old chain link fence to improve their looks and add green!

Gently weave the youngest growth in and out through the holes. Although you can trim them back, you might consider leaving a little of the past growth, as they'll scramble along that without any fuss or muss.

Many people swear by using this climber as a spreading groundcover. Fill a barren slope with a romantic sweep, planting every ten feet and mulching underneath.

This plant is magical on a large property, where it can self-seed. If you want to keep it in control on a smaller property, simply cut it down to the ground right after it freezes in fall.

Be sure to remove the old vine, bagged for yard waste. There are viable seeds in the cute, feathery seed heads and they will sprout in your compost pile!

#ProPlantTips for Care

This selection was called Clematis paniculata, but the botanical name has changed. The new name is Clematis terniflora and it's the same showy, scented vine you know so well.

Like all Clematis, this fragrant variety likes full sun on the foliage, and shade on their root zone. You'll be pleased to know that Sweet Autumn Clematis flowers better than most, even in part shade.

Give it loamy, somewhat moist, well-drained soil. Add a few handfuls of compost and Nature Hills Root Booster while planting Clematis.

Apply at least three inches of wood mulch around the base of your Sweet Autumn Clematis. Then, pull it away from directly touching the stems for good air circulation.

Prune this variety hard late fall to eliminate seeding, or do it in early spring before it starts to grow. They thrive and bloom on new wood, so cut these twining vines down to six inches and remove the old growth.

Keep your Clematis tidy by pruning as often as you like. You'll encourage reblooming with this easy task, as well!

Watch out for nitrogen fertilizers designed for lawns. Feed this heavy feeder a formula for flowering plants, following instructions on the label.

Mmmm….get ready for the compliments! Place your order for Sweet Autumn Clematis from Nature Hills today.

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