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| Scarlet Clematis is endemic to the southeastern Edwards Plateau. |
Blooming vines are always a welcome addition to our Hill Country landscapes, offering continuous interest through vibrant colors and varied bloom times. Some of the most popular vines are in the genus Clematis in the Buttercup Family. While many cultivars and hybrids exist, there are nine native species in Texas, the most prominent being Scarlet Clematis (Clematis texensis), Purple Leatherflower (Clematis pitcheri), and Old Man’s Beard (Clematis drummondii).
Otherwise referred to as Scarlet Leatherflower and Texas Clematis, Scarlet Clematis is a herbaceous to slightly woody vine, with compound leaves of four to five pairs of rounded leaflets, and grasping tendrils which allow the plant to climb to about 10 feet. It has bell-shaped flowers, held in axillary clusters of one to seven, blooming only on new growth. The four red to scarlet-colored ‘petals’ are actually thick, leather-like sepals slightly recurved at the tips, occurring from March to August. A ball of feathery plumed seeds follows the floral display. Scarlet Clematis is uncommon, found along streams and on limestone cliffs and rocky slopes and is endemic to only a few counties in the southeastern portion of the Edwards Plateau.
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| Scarlet Clematis Bloom |
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| Feathery Plumed Scarlet Clematis Seedhead |
Purple Leatherflower, also called Purple Clematis, Bellflower Clematis, and Pitcher’s Clematis, is a 10 foot or longer vine that climbs via twining petioles. Its compound leaves are also comprised of three to five pairs of pointed leaflets, each having a raised network of veins on the underside. From May to September, flowers appear on long, nodding stems arising from the leaf axils, and are dull purple on the outside and dark purple on the inside. The four petal-like sepals are thick and united at the base, but are recurved at the tips. While they also turn into a ball of plumed seeds following flowering, they are the least pubescent of the native species. Purple Leatherflower can be found in woodland edges and thickets in the central, south, and western parts of the state.
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| Purple Leatherflower |
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| Purple Leatherflower Bloom |
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| Plumed Purple Leatherflower Seedhead |
Known as Texas Virgin’s Bower and Drummond’s Clematis, Old Man’s Beard is a climbing vine to 30 feet, coiling its petioles along fences and other structures and shrubs. The compound leaves are composed of five to seven coarsely cut leaflets. From April to September, star-shaped blooms of four light greenish-yellow, almost white, narrow and thin sepals with slightly crinkled margins surround conspicuously long stamens. Old Man’s Beard can be found along roadsides and in rocky canyons in the central, south, and western parts of the state. One of its common names comes from the 2 to 4 inch long, silky hairs on the seed cluster, giving the plant a bearded appearance which often lingers into winter. Another comes from the abundant cascade of white flowers, believed to symbolize purity and innocence.
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| Old Man's Beard |
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| Old Man's Beard Bloom |
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| Beard-like Old Man's Bloom Seedheads |
Flowering Clematis vines have been known to symbolize ingenuity, cleverness, and travel, due to their climbing, rambling nature. In traditional Chinese symbolism they represent wisdom and foresight, and in Japanese Hanakotoba or the language of flowers, they represent moral beauty and the joy of travelers. The intricacies of their showy flowers and long blooming season make Clematis some of our most charismatic vines!
