Described as a semi-twiner/climber.  Solitary, nodding, bell-shaped, light blue flowers.  The inside of the flowers are very striking with yellow markings in the centre of the bloom surrounded by purple rings. Begins blooming early summer for us.

We grow them in partial shade, and moist soil.

Hardy to Zone 3.

Erect stems to 18 inches, eventually forms a clump 15 inches wide.

Something you might not enjoy about this plant is - it stinks - like a skunk. Maureen and I thought a skunk was visiting our back garden the first year we had this plant, and then in the 2nd year we again noticed a skunk smell in the same spot. Still hadn't figured it out yet. I then read in the GardenWeb Perennials Forum, in a thread titled something like: "Plants you can't stand the smell of", a gardener's complaint about the skunky smell of C. clematidea. Went outside, rolled one of spent flowers between my fingers - and whoa - not pleasent. We have 3 of 4 of these stinkers in the garden, and although we like the blooms, it's not exactly what we had in mind in developing a fragrant garden.

Glen's score:  7.

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