Clematis 'Piilu' ppaf

Raised by Uno Kivistik of Harjumaa, Estonia.  Introduced in 1984.  Flowers are 3½- 4½" in diameter, pale mauve-pink with a darker central bar, and yellow stamens.  Very compact and free flowering. 

Flowering period: Late spring to early summer and early fall.

Habit: Moderately fast growing deciduous climbing vine.

Height: 4-5'.

Exposure:  Best if grown in full sun.

Site: Best in full sun. Tolerates most garden soils. 

Recommended use:  Ideal for containers on decks and patios.  Grow on a small  trellis, arbor, or an obelisk.   Good companion plant for small shrubs.

Pruning: Group 2 - When starting with a new plant prune as follows: during the winters of year 1 and 2 cut each stem ½ -1" above the lowest pair of active buds.  This will encourage low branching, giving you a fuller looking plant in later years.  Winter pruning after year 2 would be to cut each stem back to a strong pair of buds.  Remove dead or weak branches.  Hard pruning in winter will be at the expense of some spring flowers as they form on growth from the previous season.  You can prune this clematis to shape the plant in late spring after its main flowering period, with out the worry of cutting off potential flowers.    

Watering:  Likes regular water. Soil should be moist but not wet.  Water deeply and then allow to dry some to encourage deep rooting.

Zones: 4-9.