If there’s one question that always gets a “well, it depends” from gardeners, it’s definitely about when to prune clematis. With over 300 different varieties out there, these climbing beauties have some pretty diverse needs. But why is it so complicated?
A Global Garden Favorite
The golden rule for pruning is actually pretty simple: you want to trim them back right after they finish blooming. However, because clematis are found in all sorts of climates across the globe, their flowering schedules are all over the map. To make things easier for us gardeners, they’ve been organized into three main pruning groups.
Understanding the Pruning Groups
The groups are basically determined by when the plant puts on its floral show. Early bloomers fall into Group 1, while the classic summer bloomers land in Group 2. Finally, those hardworking hybrids that treat us to flowers twice a year belong in Group 3.
