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| 1 week into blooming |
Meet Clematis 'Betty Corning' a/k/a "Betty the Beast." It's a heavily blooming, healthy Clematis. I fertilized her last year, and she grew wildly huge, but I managed to keep her mostly on the supports. This year, I thought I was so clever; I didn't fertilize her. So what?
She's bigger than ever and threatening to pull the chickenwire off the chimney and spread her grasp into the crabapple.
'Betty Corning' is a type 3 Clematis, meaning it flowers on new wood. This is all new growth; I pruned hard in March.
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| the copper colored stems are this year's growth |
According to the Missouri Botanic Garden and BBC Gardeners' World, 'Betty Corning' gets 5 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Hah! By contrast, Clematis on the Web lists it as 8 to 9 feet tall. That's definitely more like it. The Victory Garden website describes Betty as "[o]ne of the most vigorous clematis hybrids." Now that I can believe.
I cut off some of the new growth and brought it inside for a vase ('Betty Corning' makes a good cut flower, especially the long-stemmed blooms),
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| Clematis 'Betty Corning' with Clematis 'Natascha' and 'Fairy Blue' (Crystal Fountain) and peony |
but I fear the pruners are going to get a workout very soon, as Betty the Beast continues to thicken.
There is some question concerning the fragrance of 'Betty Corning'. According to Clematis on the Web, cultivars of 'Betty Corning' in the UK are fragrant, while American cultivars are not. However, in 95F heat I detected a light fragrance from the blooms of my plant.
'Betty Corning' is a wonderful, tough, blooming machine that I highly recommend to anyone who has an arbor, arch or pergola to cover in full to partial sun. Despite last summer's drought (it doesn't get any supplemental water, as the sprinkler usually misses it), it is better than ever and loaded with buds. If you've got the room, give 'Betty Corning' a try. As for me, I'll be on the lookout for a much larger trellis.
*This is the way this plant performs in my garden. Performance under other conditions may vary.
16 comments:
Perhaps Betty is the bully girl for me and my difficult garden.
Wow, I won't be able to keep Betty if she gets this big. I have a three year old Betty on a five foot obliesk. So far it is doing fine but I will have to keep tabs in her growth.
Eileen
This is one lady I will definitely be inviting to my garden.
As for Betty, she's a beautiful full figured lady!
Helen - Give her a try. It's in one of the most difficult spots in the garden for a Clematis that isn't full shade.
Eileen - My 'Betty Corning' was planted 4 years ago, so maybe you'd better start looking for a bigger obelisk.
Your Betty is a beauty of a beast, MMD. My not quite Betty is not that vigorous, but about that height. Happy trellis shopping!
Frances
She's lovely and she might be just the beast for the GOBN's purple fence! I will look for her and order to plant this fall. gail
I wonder if Betty would grow here...I've had no luck for the most part with clematis. She has lovely blooms.
I am apparently incapable of growing vines...I wonder if this vigorous of a clematis could break the pattern?
Betty is impressive! I never would have thought to use Clematis vine in flower arrangements--thanks for the idea! And your flower arrangement is lovely!
Gorgeous!
Great information MMD. I don't have Betty, but she looks good in your garden. I know she's a bit of a pain, but at least she doesn't have thorns.~~Dee
Our trumpet vine on the pergola has half died (can you believe that???) so maybe Betty would be a good substitute?
Betty is definitely a cow but she has her place in the landscape. And so you know, this chick grows in light created by flashbulbs only. Kylee, plant Betty. She'll be more than just fine in any area.
I am so happy that yours is successful. I planted 3 along my pergola, but they all died. I think the shade was too deep. Love seeing yours!
She's truly beautiful... Beauty vs the Beast. ha? At any rate, you've convinced me to enjoy Yours and not purchase one myself!
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