Dutchman's Pipe

It starts out pretty simple at first, like hearts on a string, but be careful where you put it...

because if it is happy Dutchman's pipe can be the the kudzu of the north!

Here it is covering (beautifully) porch on the north side of a house in Stevens Point, WI.

Remember, many parts are toxic, causing kidney failure and uterine cancers.

Clematis and other Climbers at the Chicago Botanical Gardens

Clemartis 'Josephine' with a climbing rose. The double blooms of 'Josephine' are more noticeable at bottom center of picture.









A white clematis, possibly 'Guyere'


A Jackamanii-style clematis




Akebia quinata adding a structural quality to this wall. I am sure they must prune it weekly!

One thing they do really well is pick out the right clematis to showcase at the Chicago Botanical Gardens (CBG). If you are in the upper Midwest you might want to take a peak at the results of their study to pick the best clematis for the region.

Clematis take time, as do many climbers. Is is certainly no accident that my favorite climbers were also well represented in the CBG. I did not see the orange honeysuckle which blooms nearly all summer in my garden, but as it can have invasive qualities, most likely in areas to our south, I can understand its omission as it is stunning. I'm sure the CBG doesn't want to promote anything possibly invasive.

In my own garden in addition to the orange honeysuckle, I have akebia quinata, sweet autumn clematis, dutchman's pipe, clematis 'Josephine', 'Comtesse du Bouchard', and 'c. texensis 'Diana'.