Clematis Etual Violette - planting and care
Clematis Etoile Violette is a pretty decorative perennial with creeping stems. The hybrid variety was bred by the French breeder E. Morel. The name translates as Violet Star, which characterizes the shape and color of the flowers, as well as abundant flowering.
Clematis etoile violet photo and description
Description of the variety
Etoile Violett is a large-flowered variety that belongs to the Viticella group. Vine stems are able to climb up the support, clinging to the antennae petioles. The bush reaches a height of 3-4 m (according to some sources - up to 6 m). Leaves are opposite, trifoliate. Clematis blooms on the shoots of the current year from July to September.
The flowers are star-shaped, deep purple, slightly velvety (diameter 8-15 cm). The middle is creamy golden. The ends of the petals are bent back, the edges are slightly wavy. The root system of the bush is superficial.
Landing features
It is better to plant clematis in spring or autumn. Spring planting is carried out in April, autumn planting - a month before the onset of frost. In summer, container plants can be planted without disturbing the earthen coma (by transshipment).
Selection and preparation of a seedling
A seedling with one or two shoots and elastic roots from 10 cm long is suitable for planting. The roots should not be swollen or damaged. If they dry up during transportation, the plant is placed in water for 6-7 hours.
Pick-up location
Etoile Violette prefers well-lit areas (at least 5 hours of sun per day). It is necessary to choose a place protected from the wind where water does not stagnate. Clematis loves loose, fertile soil with a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline reaction.
The distance to the wall of the house is at least 50 cm, to other perennials - 1 m.
Technology:
- For planting, dig a hole with a depth and diameter of 60-70 cm.
- A drainage layer is laid on the bottom (broken brick, expanded clay, crushed stone, small pebbles).
- The removed soil is mixed with humus, peat and compost, a glass of wood ash and 100 g of superphosphate are added.
- Their substrate forms a mound on which the plant is placed; gently spread the roots down the hill.
- Pour a bucket of settled water.
- The remaining soil mixture is poured, deepening the root collar by 7-8 cm.
- Establish a support for the seedling.
- Another watering is carried out, the soil is mulched.
Care
Caring for clematis is not particularly difficult. The plant needs regular watering, feeding and pruning in the fall. To prevent long shoots from breaking off from the wind, they must be tied to a solid support.
Clematis etoile violet landing
Watering
In the first season after planting, watering is carried out twice a week, using 4-8 liters per bush. In the future, they water less often, but more abundantly (several times a month, 15-20 liters). It is important to avoid waterlogging and stagnation of water, and also to ensure that moisture does not get on the leaves of the vine.
Top dressing
In the first year after planting, the vine is not fed - the fertilizers laid in the pit are enough for it.Further feeding is carried out 3-4 times per season. In the spring and before flowering, complex compositions are used, at the beginning of autumn, phosphorus-potassium.
Mulching
Mulch helps to ease maintenance, reduce moisture evaporation and, importantly, protects the root system from overheating. You can use pieces of pine bark, peat chips, sawdust and chips, compost. You need to mulch the soil around the bush with a diameter of 50 cm, the layer thickness is 8-10 cm.
Trimming group and technology
Flowers Etual Violet grow on the shoots of the current year, which corresponds to the pruning of the third group. The technology is very simple: the stems are cut with a disinfected pruner, leaving 1-2 buds from the ground. Thus, a bush remains no more than 15-20 cm in size.
Preparing for winter
Etual Violet is a winter-hardy plant, however, for a successful wintering, it must be prepared in time. More than frost, it is dangerous for him to flood the roots during a thaw, so the cut bush is covered with earth or compost. Then cover with dry leaves or spruce branches. A box is installed on top or slate is laid.
Reproduction
For reproduction, Etual Violet uses methods: cuttings, shoots abduction, making a bush. Sowing seeds does not preserve all the characteristics of the variety. Most often, clematis is propagated by rooting cuttings.
Clematis etoile violett
Cuttings
Cut off a shoot with one knot and two leaves. One leaf is removed to reduce the evaporation area. A layer of fertile soil is poured into the box, and coarse sand is on top, moistened. The cuttings are deepened and covered with foil or plastic glasses (every day the cover is removed for airing). You can understand that the seedlings are rooted by the awakened buds.
Dividing the bush
This method can be used every 5 years so as not to interfere with the development of the shrub. The bush is dug up and divided into 2-3 parts with buds and the same number of roots. Delenki are planted in the usual way in dug and fertilized soil, watered regularly.
Avoiding shoots
The soil near the mother bush is dug up, mixed with wood ash and sand, well loosened and watered. On the shoot, the leaves are removed, bent to the ground and fixed with wire. The knot is sprinkled with sand and moistened. The cuttings take root within 1-1.5 months.
Diseases and pests
| Problem | Symptoms | Prophylaxis | Treatment |
| Aphid | Colonies of insects settle on the back of the leaves. The sheet plate rolls up and dries. | Correct care (watering, feeding, mulching). Planting calendula next to clematis (this attracts ladybugs that eat aphids). | Remove dry leaves, wash the bush with a solution of tar or laundry soap. Spray with Fitoverm. |
| Powdery mildew | White bloom, wilting and stunted growth. | Moderate watering. Disinfection of garden tools. Manganese tillage, ash sprinkling. | Cut off the affected parts of the plant. Treat with copper sulfate. |
| Wilt | Vine tissues lose their turgor, wither, dry out. | Avoid waterlogging. Disinfect tools, soil and drainage. Choose a landing site with good lighting. Carefully inspect the seedling upon purchase (for foreign stains and damage). | Trim off any damaged stems and burn. Treat healthy parts of clematis and soil with Fundazol. At a late stage, the disease cannot be cured - the bush must be dug up and destroyed. |
Testimonials
According to the description of gardeners, Etoile Violette is very decorative and unpretentious, resistant to frost and disease. It has been noticed that purple clematis are not whimsical at all, but look no less impressive than the rest. Thanks to its easy care and an easy-to-understand pruning method, this variety is quite suitable for growing beginners.
Clematis etoile violet photo
Florists note that this plant can be grown on the most scarce soils, but does not like heavy soils.The advantages also include abundant and long flowering, excellent survival rate of bushes and cuttings. When planted in the shade, the flowers are smaller and paler than in good light.