Clematis ‘The President’

‘The President’ is an early large-flowered cultivar that typically grows to 8-10′ tall. Single, purple-blue flowers (to 7″ diameter) with red anthers bloom early to mid season on old growth followed by additional late summer bloom on new growth. Dark green leaves. Showy seed heads develop in fall. RHS Award of Garden Merit 1993.

Group 2 Pruning:

Prune in late winter or early spring (February) as follows:

• Remove dead or weak stems before growth begins. Check individual stems from the top down until you reach a pair of healthy buds, and prune just above them, removing the spindly or damaged growth above
• Avoid heavy pruning or flowers will be lost

Then prune again after the first flush of flowers:

• To encourage a second flush of flowers later in the season prune back some stems by cutting to large buds or a strong side shoot immediately below the blooms
• Top-heavy or overgrown plants can be gradually reduced over two to three seasons by pruning back harder after the first flush of flowers. They are unlikely to produce a second flush of flowers, but should flower again the following year, in late spring or early summer