Swamp Leather Flower is a native clematis vine that’s well-mannered and easy to grow, making it a very desirable and low-maintenance garden plant.
- Fragrant flowers
- Long flowering period
- Can grow in wet soil
Details
- Twining vine with flower color ranging from dark purple to pale lavender
- Plants grow 5 to 8 ft. tall
- Leaves emerge early and are frost resistant
- Hardy in USDA hardiness zones 6, 7, 8, and 9
Flowering period
In central North Carolina, the heaviest flowering occurs in May with flushes of flowers occurring throughout the summer and into fall.
How to grow
Grow Swamp Leather Flower in sun to part shade. Like most clematis, the root zone benefits from some shade. Prefers evenly moist soil, but is very adaptable and can tolerate flooding and periodic drought.
Care and maintenance
Flowers form on new growth and the old stems can be cut to the ground anytime through winter. Water during extended droughts in drier sites.
Pine voles can be a problem eating the crowns of Clematis. To protect plants, create a cylinder with hardware cloth (½ inch or smaller mesh) and plant the Clematis inside it. Make sure the hardware cloth is buried at least 6 inches deep to protect it from burrowing voles.
Where to plant
Small arbors, trellises, and step railings where its fragrant flowers can be appreciated. For larger arbors and fences, consider planting a more vigorous vine-like crossvine or coral honeysuckle.
When to plant
It can be planted anytime the ground is not frozen in Southern gardens. Keep plants well-watered if planting in the summer.
Spacing
Plants can be planted 3 to 4 feet apart.
When will my plant flower?
Plants purchased and planted before early summer will bloom their first year.
Native habitat and range
Along stream banks and in swamps from Virginia and Illinois south into Florida and Texas.
Source and origin
Plants were grown from seed collected on a stream bank in Pender County, North Carolina.
| States | Orders up to $50 | Orders $51 to $100 | Orders over $100 |
| AL, DE, GA, KY, MD, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, and WV | $16 | $18 | $20 |
| AR, CT, FL, IL, IN, LA, MA, MI, MO, MS, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT, and WI | $18 | $20 | $22 |
| IA, KS, ME, MN, OK, and TX | $20 | $22 | $24 |
| CO, NE, ND, and SD | $22 | $24 | $26 |
Sorry, we can't ship plants outside of the continental United States or to AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NM, NV, OR, UT, and WA due to agriculture restrictions.
When will my order be shipped?All plants are shipped within two weeks of placing an order.
Is it okay to plant in the winter?Yes, as long as the soil is not frozen. Planting native perennials in winter and early spring gives your plants a head start before the summer heat arrives.
What if it’s too cold to plant where I live, but I want to buy a plant before it sells out?Dormant plants can safely be kept in a basement, garage, or cool room until you are ready to plant in late winter or early spring.
How will my plants get delivered?Most orders are shipped on Monday or Tuesday via UPS Ground, which depending on the destination takes between 1 to 4 days.
Are your plants shipped in their containers?Yes, all our plants are shipped in their growing containers. The majority are grown in containers that are 4.5 inches wide by 5 inches deep and 32 fl. oz. / 946 ml in volume.
Do you guarantee your plants?We guarantee our plants to be healthy, ready for planting and correctly named. We are not able to guarantee whether a plant will grow in your garden as there are too many circumstances that are beyond our control.
On rare occasions, a plant shipped dormant may fail to emerge from its dormancy. If this happens, please let us know. If you are concerned about a plant, please contact us within 14 days to let us know. If we can’t help you make it grow, we’ll send you a new plant or issue a refund.
You can return your plants if you no longer want them once they arrive. To receive a refund (minus 20% restocking fee) the plants must be returned in good condition. Return shipping is the customer’s responsibility.
Can I cancel my order?Yes, you can cancel your order. Please visit our terms and service page for details.
What about sales tax?We propagate our own plants and are not required to collect North Carolina sales tax.
Where can I find information about your plants?Here are some FAQ on how we grow plants.
