Clematis East River - Clematide

The Clematis East River (Zoeastri), rare and beautiful, is a variety belonging to the group of diversifolia clematis which resemble more to the perennial plant than to the vine. Its light purple flowers with pink highlights, of a good size, stand out with their graceful star-shaped silhouette with all wavy branches. Well displayed, they reveal a very beautiful crown of light yellow stamens. This small climber thrives on old walls, trellises, fences, but also as ground cover at the base of trees. Ideal when paired with a shrub, in a container or in the ground. Its flowers last several days in bouquets.

Clematis belong to the Ranunculaceae family. 'East River' is a recent cultivar derived from Clematis diversifolia, a hybrid between Clematis integrifolia and various forms of C.viticella. It is a herbaceous climbing perennial plant, reaching 1.50 m in height (slightly less in a pot), with a spread of 90 cm to 1 m. Deciduous, it completely dries out every winter and regrows numerous stems from its base in spring. Its flowering occurs from May to September.

The East River flowers measure 8 to 10 cm in diameter, appearing on the new shoots from May-June to September, either solitary or grouped in clusters or small bouquets. Each flower consists of 6 well-separated tepals, thin at the base, wavy at the edges, surrounding a prominent heart of very pale yellow stamens. Feathery fruits follow the flowers and persist until winter, they are decorative and silvery-gray. The leaves are simple and entire or divided into 3 leaflets, lanceolate to cordiform, of a fairly dark green. This clematis climbs on the support or host plant through petioles transformed into tendrils.

This 'East River' clematis can be used as a perennial plant, in a rock garden and in a mixed border. It will be perfect for free use in a garland, or in the branches of a shrub with staggered flowering (Compact Lilacs, mock oranges, deutzias...). Ideal for filling a slightly sad creeping conifer in summer, this lovely plant will also adorn balconies, as it performs well in a container. Cut before full bloom, the flowers last up to 10 days in a vase.