by Bob Harms ()

All our Clematis species are favorites of the deer and although not quite in the 'deer magnet' category they do require fencing or cedar branches for protection.

Old Man's Beard, Clematis drummondii

staminate flower	pistillate flower	infructescence

Old man's beard is the only Clematis we did not introduce, several plants having somehow survived from the days of overgrazing, one in a very dry area with little grass, the others protected by junipers. (I have been unsuccessful in introducing small vines from seed into the wild.)

Purple Leatherflower, C. pitcheri

I started our purple leatherflowers from seed collected from the Barton Creek watershed. It has proved hardy in all locations, but several have done especially well in the shade of our cabin and regularly produce volunteers.

Sweet Autumn Clematis, C. terniflora (C. dioscoreifolia)

Clematis terniflora is a newcomer to the Texas flora, from Japan. Our plant is from cuttings taken from a seep below a bluff near Barton Creek. It has thrived in a similar moist area with a northern exposure, producing masses of summer blooms followed by attractive seed clusters. Not at all invasive, it has not propagated itself.