Like crushed velvet, the huge midnight-red blooms of 'Niobe' glow with rich color, brilliantly offset by a slender, prominent center of bright yellow. Simply the best red Clematis we know, 'Niobe' is floriferous and blooms over a long summer season on compact, manageable 8- to 10-foot vines. Just the right size for the mailbox, pillar, or container of any type, 'Niobe' dazzles from the moment the buds open — the blooms are initially nearly black, then mature to deep ruby! Unforgettable!
Clematis is easy to grow in a rich, porous, alkaline soil with plenty of room for the roots to spread. Best performance is when the tops are in full sunlight and the roots are shaded, so apply a generous mulch or a shallow-rooted groundcover near the base of the vine. Very reliable performers once established, they take a season or two to get going. 'Niobe' is a Group II Clematis for pruning purposes, which means that in early spring you should cut back the vine 6 or 8 inches to the nearest pair of strong leaf axil buds. Zones 4-9.
