Plant Care
›
Propagation
›
Anemone Clematis
Clematis montana
Reviewed by Kiersten Rankel M.S.
QUICK ANSWER
Ground layering of a low vine is the most reliable method and gives a strong rooted plant in one season.
Softwood cuttings taken in late spring root in 6 to 10 weeks at moderate success and produce many plants from a vigorous parent. Stratified seed germinates over 6 months and gives plants that may not match the parent's flower color but are an option for restoring a wild population.
Softwood cuttings taken in late spring root in 6 to 10 weeks at moderate success and produce many plants from a vigorous parent. Stratified seed germinates over 6 months and gives plants that may not match the parent's flower color but are an option for restoring a wild population.
Stay on top of plant care
Get seasonal reminders for watering and fertilizing, personalized for your plants.
Try Greg Free
Pick your method
Tap one to jump to the walkthrough.
Ground layering
Best for getting one strong new vine reliably
Softwood cuttings
Best for making many vines from one plant
From seed
Best for restoring a wild population
Ground layering
Time
8–12 months
Level
Beginner
Success rate
High
You'll need
Sterile knife
Landscape staple or U-shaped wire
Compost-amended soil
Mulch
Sterile pruners for severing
1
Pick a low flexible stem
In late spring after the flush of bloom, find a long stem near the base of the vine that bends easily to the ground. Strip the leaves from the section that will be buried, leaving the leaves at the tip. Mark a spot 18 inches back from the tip.
2
Wound at a node
Anemone Clematis roots most strongly from leaf nodes. Pick a node 18 inches back from the tip and make a shallow 1-inch cut along the underside, slicing through the bark but not through the stem.
Wedge the cut open with a small piece of toothpick. The exposed wound is what triggers root formation.
Wedge the cut open with a small piece of toothpick. The exposed wound is what triggers root formation.
3
Pin underground
Dig a shallow trench 3 inches deep. Lay the wounded node in the trench with the cut facing down and pin it firmly with a landscape staple. The stem tip should curve back up out of the trench so leaves are above ground.
4
Backfill and mulch
Cover the buried section with compost-amended soil. Press firmly so the wound stays in close contact with the soil. Top with 2 inches of mulch. Water in well.
5
Leave for one full season
Roots develop over summer and fall. Do not dig up the layer to inspect. Anemone Clematis layers establish slowly but reliably. By the following spring, the buried node will have a fist-sized root system.
6
Sever and pot up
The next spring after bloom, cut the stem between the parent and the rooted node with sterile pruners. Wait 2 weeks before disturbing the new plant. Then dig it up with a generous rootball and pot up or move to a permanent spot.
WATCH FOR
The buried section pulls free of the staple after wind or rain. The wound loses contact with the soil and rooting stalls. Re-pin the stem within a few days, refill the trench, and water again to seat the wound. One disturbance is recoverable. Repeated lifting kills the layer.
Softwood cuttings
Time
6–10 weeks
Level
Intermediate
Success rate
Moderate
You'll need
Sterile pruners
Rooting hormone powder
4-inch pots with drainage
Equal-parts perlite and peat mix
Clear humidity dome
Bottom heat mat (optional)
1
Cut in late spring
Take cuttings in May or early June from new growth that has just started to firm up at the base. The wood should bend without snapping. Each cutting needs 2 leaf nodes.
2
Make internodal cuts
Anemone Clematis roots best from internodal cuttings, which is unusual among woody plants. Cut just above a node at the top, then cut halfway between that node and the next one below.
The bottom of the cutting is bare stem with no node. The buried section forms roots along the internode itself.
The bottom of the cutting is bare stem with no node. The buried section forms roots along the internode itself.
3
Trim leaves to half
Cut each leaf in half across to reduce water loss. Anemone Clematis leaves transpire heavily in summer warmth. Unmodified cuttings wilt before they can root.
4
Dust and stick
Dip the bottom of the cutting in rooting hormone powder, knock off excess, and push 2 inches deep into damp perlite-peat mix. The single node above the soil should sit at or just above the surface. Three cuttings per pot.
5
Cover with a dome
Set the pot inside a clear dome in bright indirect light at 70 to 75 degrees. A bottom heat mat speeds rooting by 2 weeks. Mist the inside of the dome lightly every 3 days.
6
Tug-test at week 6
Give a gentle pull. Resistance means roots have anchored. Vent the dome 30 minutes daily for a week to acclimate, then pot up rooted cuttings into 1-quart containers and grow on indoors or in a sheltered spot through winter.
WATCH FOR
The cutting wilts within the first 3 days and never recovers. The cutting was taken from wood that was either too soft or too hard, or the dome did not seal. Take fresh cuttings from wood that bends without snapping, recut bottoms, and check the dome closes fully. The first week is the critical window. Cuttings that hold turgid leaves through day 7 usually go on to root.
From seed
Time
3–6 months germination
Level
Intermediate
Success rate
Moderate
You'll need
Ripe fluffy seed heads
Plastic bag with damp sand
Refrigerator
Seed trays with seed-starting mix
Bright indirect light
1
Collect seed in late summer
Anemone Clematis sets fluffy seed heads after bloom. Collect when the tufts are fully fluffy and pull free with a gentle tug, usually August or September. Each fluff has one hard seed at its base.
2
Stratify cold and damp
Mix the seed with damp sand in a plastic bag. Squeeze out excess water. Refrigerate at 35 to 40 degrees for 12 weeks.
Clematis seed will not germinate without this cold-moist period. Skipping it means watching empty trays for months.
Clematis seed will not germinate without this cold-moist period. Skipping it means watching empty trays for months.
3
Sow in early spring
After 12 weeks of cold, sift the seed out of the sand and sow a quarter inch deep in damp seed-starting mix in a deep tray. Anemone Clematis pushes a long taproot quickly so use deep cells or 4-inch pots.
4
Keep at room temperature
Set the tray in bright indirect light at 65 to 70 degrees. Germination starts within 4 weeks but runs for another 8 weeks. Some seeds wait until a second cold cycle. Patience is required.
5
Pot on at the second true leaf
Once seedlings have 2 true leaves beyond the cotyledons, lift them carefully into 1-quart pots. Handle by leaves not stems. Grow on in dappled shade for the first summer.
6
Plant out the following spring
Plant out year-old seedlings in spring after their second cold winter. Seed-grown Anemone Clematis flowers in its third or fourth year. Flower color may vary from the parent because seedlings do not come true to type.
WATCH FOR
Seed in the refrigerator gets fuzzy white mold before the cold treatment ends. The sand was too wet or the bag was sealed without any air exchange. Discard moldy seed and start a new batch with sand that is barely damp, leaving the bag mouth folded over rather than fully sealed. Germination rates of fresh seed average 50 percent under ideal conditions.
Stay on top of plant care
Get seasonal reminders for watering and fertilizing, personalized for your plants.
Try Greg Free
About This Article
Kiersten Rankel M.S.
Botanical Data Lead at Greg · Plant Scientist
Editorial Process
Propagation methods verified against Clematis montana growth data from Greg's botanical database, cross-referenced with USDA hardiness zone data and published horticultural research.
4+ Greg users growing this plant
USDA hardiness zones 6a–9b