A Cascade of Clematis

New Zealand has some eight or ten native clematis species, almost all of which deserve to be better known and grown in home gardens.

        Puawhananga or Clematis paniculata - stars fallen into the treetops

The most spectacular and best known species is Clematis paniculata or puawhananga. It cloaks the tops of trees in October. One Maori legend identifies the 'stars' of this clematis with the constellation the Seven Sisters, or Pleiades, fallen from heaven into the treetops. C. paniculata has a smaller white-flowered cousin, C. forsteri, which creates the same effect of stars fallen into a tree.

Clematis afoliata, the leafless clematis, is not so starry, and most of the year it resembles a wiry tangle. It is a much less fussy grower than C. paniculata (which must have its roots in moist soil in the shade to thrive) and will live in tough conditions, such as the seaside cliff top shown in the photograph below. Its flowers are smaller and creamier than C. paniculata, and cup-shaped. They have a delicate sweet scent.

          Clematis afoliatia flowering on Stoddart's Point, Lyttelton Harbour

Even more scented is C. foetida, which has small yellow-green flowers with a strong sweet fragrance. Climbing through a tree, it makes a wonderful source of 'secret scent' in the garden. New Zealand clematis are subtle rather than showy, which makes their return into flower every spring like finding hidden treasure.