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General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Catwheazle on August 14, 2023, 03:56:58 PM

Title: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Catwheazle on August 14, 2023, 03:56:58 PM
Hello, I have a climbing trellis on which I kept losing clematis because of clematis wilt. There is currently a C. texensis there that is said to be resistant.... but probably not really :-( My question: Is there a large, climbing Codonopsis that I can use as a substitute? (Please only pure ones species, not hybrids) or maybe something else (besides Lonicera)?
.... the soil is calcareous! direction west.
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Claire Cockcroft on August 14, 2023, 06:32:22 PM
I've grown Codonopsis lanceolata, which I like a lot.  I also have C. pilosula, whose foliage is not as dense.  Both die back to the ground in winter.  And both can really climb when they're happy.
...Claire
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Catwheazle on August 14, 2023, 06:34:29 PM
Thanks! how high do they climb?
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Redmires on August 14, 2023, 09:07:39 PM
I have Tropaeolum ciliatum growing all over shaded trellis in a very inhospitable spot. It has a reputation for thuggishness and is apparently hard to get rid of once established, but for me it works well. It has quite small five-lobed leaves that are nothing like those of T. majus and the flowers are pretty - pale gold marked with a lacy pattern in a darker, rusty colour. It seems to stay green during the winter. I bought mine from RarePlants (https://www.rareplants.co.uk/product/tropaeolum-ciliatum/).
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Catwheazle on August 14, 2023, 09:26:14 PM
Thanks! That sounds very interesting. "Thanks" to Brexit I can unfortunately no longer buy from rare plants :-(
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Maggi Young on August 15, 2023, 12:24:47 PM
Thanks! That sounds very interesting. "Thanks" to Brexit I can unfortunately no longer buy from rare plants :-(
Rareplants website say they can export to many places -   " Export availability for EU, Japan, USA etc. is now open (for delivery September-October on)" It seems they are providing full certification for exports.
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Catwheazle on August 15, 2023, 12:51:56 PM
Great :-)

"Postal service, TRACKED & SIGNED-FOR (cost includes one health certificate): £55.00"  :-[  :'(  :-[
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Jon Evans on August 15, 2023, 10:40:40 PM
I will probably have seed of Tropaeolum ciliatum for the exchange.  I try to collect all the seeds so the birds don't spread it around - the spreading underground roots are bad enough.
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Catwheazle on August 16, 2023, 06:31:02 AM
Thanks, but I can't use the "the spreading underground roots" at all at this point. Such information is usually missing from the plants.
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: MarcR on August 17, 2023, 02:48:53 AM
Catwheazle,

Have you considered plants like Lonicera, Passiflora, Campsis, or Eccremocarpus?

Most Passiflora are hot hardy; but mollissima should be hardy to zone 6 even if it dies to the ground each winter.  The same should be true of Eccremocarpus if you winter it under glass until the third year.
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: brianw on August 20, 2023, 06:31:08 PM
I grow some "Morning Glory" each year from plants over-wintered in my greenhouse; though they can get quite high. Up to the gutter of my 2 storey house or up a flowering cherry etc. Mine roots Ok from cuttings; the others I cut back to 2-3 feet.
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Redmires on August 21, 2023, 07:40:56 AM
Dactylicapnos (formerly Dicentra) macrocapnos might also work for you. D. scandens is similar but apparently doesn't climb as high (about 2m according to most sources) and has a shorter flowering period - that said, there appears to be some confusion between the two. D. scandens is much easier to get hold of as both plant and seeds. D. macrocapnos was top of my shortlist of hardy climbers that are happy in shade, but I haven't been able to get hold of either plant or seeds in the UK, so I'm going to give up and try D. scandens.
Title: Re: need ideas .... Clematis/Codonopsis
Post by: Catwheazle on August 21, 2023, 10:27:49 AM
Thanks! Thanks to your help I have a lot now... I just have to make a decision :-)
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