Viticella Group clematis

Holder of the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in recognition of its outstanding excellence, 'Polish Spirit' was raised by Brother Stefan Franczak in Poland. Its rich purple-blue flowers appear in profusion from mid-summer to early autumn. Growth is very vigorous and the plant retains its foliage well throughout the season. It is a member of the viticella group of clematis and as such it shows good resistance to clematis wilt. As with all the late-flowering clematis, pruning is easy. Simply cut back the stems to a pair of strong buds 15-20cm (6-8in) above ground level before growth begins in early spring. This pruning technique makes late-flowering clematis useful for training into shrubs, trees and climbing roses as the clematis growth is removed each spring and so never becomes too much of a burden on its supporting plant.

Looks good with:

Lathyrus latifolius
Jasminum polyanthum