A touch of spring: Clematis rehderiana
Clematis rehderiana is one of the joys of autumn. It is not a plant for every garden but, where you have the right spot for it, it is a delight. Growing wild in western China and Tibet, it was introduced to the ‘west’ in 1908 by Ernest Wilson. Like most late-flowering clematis it is best pruned hard in spring and it will them grow vigorously, clambering on, over and through any support, covering it with large, coarsely divided leaves of mid green on purple stems. You need space for this one and it is not a plant for a 2m square piece of trellis on a wall! It will easily over an arbour or pergola or could be allowed to grow through a large shrub or small tree. My mind keeps thinking it would be good up a buddleia (davidii-type) because the clematis would bloom after the buddleia, both could be pruned at the same time and it would look good for months. The only problem would be that the buddleia would need a head start for a couple of years or the clematis would not give the buddleia a chance to get going.
Where you do have space, a sunny spot is best provided the soil is neither bone dry or wet. It is more or less hardy but will benefit from wall protection in the colder parts of the country (UK or Ireland). The real joy of the plant is right now when the nodding, pale yellow flowers open. They are small compared to the size of the plant but they have a delicate charm. The lateness of the flowers would make it worth growing but an real bonus is the fragrance. This is often called the cowslip clematis, probably because the flowers resemble cowslips. But it could also be that the flowers smell of cowslips. I have a feeling they do but since the two plants flowers so far apart in the year I am unsure of my senses and would not like to swear that they smell the same.Whatever, the flowers smell delightful but they do not waft their scent on the air, even on a lovely sunny day like last Sunday when I met this fine plant at Glasnevin. There it covers a pergola very effectively and, becausethe stems are allowed to trail, the flowers are within sniffing range. If allowed to clamber up a tree maybe only the birds will get to smell the flowers.
Geoff’s Rating
8/10
Garden Rating
7/10
The Biking Gardener 
i like this and would look good climbing up our poor horsechestnut maybe stop it from looking so sad
A 6 from me
I must try harder!
A new plant to me but one of my favourite colours. I had not realised Cowslips are fragrant, I shall look out for that in the spring!
I’m waiting patiently for mine to bloom for the first time. Hopefully, I’ll soon be able to agree with you!
Mine swamps my pergola and anything else within reach. I get a blanket of lemon flowers from July right through to late October, weather dependent. The bees love it but I cannot smell cowslip, or anything for that matter. Is it too large I wonder?
It can be a vigorous plant – well it IS a vigorous plant. As for the smell – you have to put your nose in the flowers to get that unless you have a very warm day. Maybe it is out of reach of your nose!
Mine ate the house so I cut if back and potted it in a large pot by the garage. It ate the garage so I’m cutting it back again. It is lovely but mine flowers late spring in zone 10b California.
It will grow through trees.
It is interesting that it flowers in spring there. Mine is slowly making its way into the trees, which I welcome.