Clematis Souvenir du Capitaine Thuilleaux

Clematis 'Souvenir du Capitaine Thuilleaux' is an old French variety of clematis dating back to 1918. It is still very popular due to the unusual colour of its large flowers that are almost round. Each tepal is very pale pink, almost white, highlighted by a wide, deep pink-mauve midrib, this difference in colours is more pronounced when the plant is in partial shade. This pretty compact climber flowers from May-June to September, produces abundant growth and is adorned with very beautiful dark green foliage, bordered with bronze. It can be planted in a bush, on a trellis, or even in a large pot on the terrace.

Clematis belong to the Ranunculaceae family. They are found in both hemispheres, especially in Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australia and North and Central America. The variety 'Captain Thuilleaux' belongs to the group of Clematis patens. Their ancestor is a Japanese botanical species with large flowers of varying colours, which is the origin of numerous cultivars. It is a perennial, hardy, semi-woody climbing plant, which will reach 2m (7ft) high, with a minimum spread of 1m (3ft). 

This clematis bears six to eight-petaled flowers, 12 to 15cm (5 to 6in) in diameter, on shoots from the previous year's wood in May-June, and then on the current year's shoots until the end of summer, in successive waves. The abundant flowers are solitary or grouped in clusters. They are upright, almost round and flat with wide wavy, bicolor petals slightly overlapping at the base. The centre of the flower has stamens with clear filaments and brown-purple anthers. The flowers are followed by decorative silvery grey feathery seed heads that persist until winter. The pinnate leaves, with ovate smooth leaflets, are of the patens type, dark olive green, bordered with bronze. This clematis clings to the support or host plant through petioles transformed into tendrils.

Plant clematis with your climbing roses or ramblers to extend the flowering of your walls and pergolas until the end of summer. It is a diverse genus with flowers of all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their easy cultivation to give your garden a romantic and bohemian touch. 'Souvenir du Capitaine Thuilleaux' loves to weave through bushes and pairs well with perennial peas and sweet peas. It performs very well in a large pot.