Clematis 'Arabella' - Non Vining

The most popular of all the non-vining clematis, award-winning Clematis 'Arabella' is a semi-herbaceous compact perennial with small, open-faced, deep blue-mauve flowers, 3.5 in. across (9 cm). The buttercup blossoms bear 6 strongly ribbed sepals, gradually curling along the edges and a prominent central tuft of stamens with yellow anthers. They open purple-blue with a reddish cast, then fade towards blue. Blooming profusely from late spring to early fall, this small-flowered clematis is not a vine. Its leaf stalks do not cling and this plant doesn't climb. It sends up stems that are self-supporting at first, and in fact become woody enough to hold themselves almost erect at their full height. Clematis 'Arabella' is hardy, easy to grow, and no trouble to prune, since it dies back when its season is over. Nominated as the longest-blooming clematis of all, it is excellent growing through plants in the herbaceous border, draped over walls, or as a flowering groundcover.