Clematis viticella Justa

Clematis 'Justa' is a hybrid resulting from cross-breeding with the Italian clematis. It has inherited its abundant late flowering, which extends throughout the summer season. From June until September, bright blue-violet star-shaped flowers appear, with pinkish-purple midribs fading as they lighten to lavender-blue. Each flower is crowned with a generous bunch of yellow-green stamens that turn white, adding to its simple charm. It is a fairly compact variety, with rapid growth and medium development, suitable for planting in the ground to fill shrub beds or hedges, as well as for container planting on patios or balconies.

The 'Justa' cultivar is a Lithuanian creation from 1988 resulting from multiple cross-breeding with Clematis viticella, also known as Italian clematis. Its parent is a deciduous climbing or trailing vine that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, and is often characterised by its small, single flowers with 4 sepals. Like most of its cousins, it prefers light, deep, moist, and fertile soil that is preferably neutral. It enjoys a sunny or partially shaded position, with its base always in shade. It resists cold temperatures and is not afraid of frost, even if prolonged. However, it does not tolerate stagnant humidity, so the substrate must be well-drained and watering should be moderate (if necessary, during the first year). It can be grown in a container if the pot is large enough (minimum 60cm (24in) in diameter.

'Justa' can spread up to 2m (7ft) in all directions. It is a Group 3 clematis, which includes late-flowering species that bloom on new growth. This group includes large-flowered climbing clematis that bloom from July to September, small-flowered climbing clematis that bloom between June and October, and non-climbing herbaceous clematis that bear flowers between July and October. 'Justa' falls into the category of small-flowered clematis, along with other Italian clematis varieties. Its flowers, initially single stars, are normally composed of 6 to 8 coloured tepals, with a diameter of 6 to 8cm (2 to 3in). They are elliptical, acuminate, and delicately undulate at the margin, slightly overlapping at their base. The variety bears a generous bunch of very long stamens, which are initially yellow-green before later turning white. Fruits will appear afterwards, decorating the foliage until winter. The deciduous and bright green leaves are composed of 3 to 5 leaflets. They are borne on tendrils, which wrap around their support.

Clematis benefit from the proximity of other plants that help drain the soil while protecting their base from drying out. Plant spring bulbs and a few ground-cover perennials such as geraniums or dead nettles at its base, and enjoy the show with minimal maintenance. If you have a larger space, this clematis can climb on shrubs or up a column, adding verticality to a colourful flower bed. Climbing clematis are also the best companions for roses. The very light flowers of the 'Justa' clematis will look even more beautiful in a shaded position or against a background with dark foliage.