Description
Clematis montana ‘Rubens’ is a vigorous, early-flowering mountain clematis prized for masses of small, fragrant, pastel-pink, anemone-style flowers that smother the vine in late spring and often lightly rebloom, and for new foliage that emerges bronze or purple-tinged before maturing to green. It is a long-lived, fast-growing deciduous climber (Montana Group) introduced into western horticulture from Chinese collections around the turn of the 20th century and figures in the ancestry of many pink “anemone” clematis selections; it reliably covers large structures (walls, pergolas, trees) and is classed as Pruning Group 1 (minimal hard pruning). It has been recognized in trade and horticulture (notably by RHS listings and plant trade sources) for its profuse spring display and scent.