Should you prune clematis: how to care for the ornamental plant properly

Clematis is one of the most popular and beautiful ornamental plants. Its bright and varied flowers can turn even the most modest area into a blooming garden.

However, this plant, like any other, cannot please the eye continuously, so some growers wonder whether it is possible to cut off dead flowers. The answer was given by gardening experts for Woman & Home magazine.

Climbing plants can make your land much more beautiful and comfortable. In addition, caring for them is usually not difficult at all, but varieties such as clematis can start to wilt in some places, and the flowers can darken and lose their beauty after flowering.

At such moments, many gardeners are tempted to cut off all the dead flowers to improve the appearance of the plant. That's why the experts talked about whether it's possible to do so and whether pruning will prevent future flowering.

Should you cut off wilted clematis flowers

Clematis bloom in successive waves throughout the season, so they don't necessarily need to be pruned, says Jane Dobbs, expert gardener at Allan's Gardeners. But she also noted that removing faded flowers can improve the overall appearance of the plant and potentially encourage more flowers to grow in the future. This will depend on the type of clematis.

Also, damaged and rotten parts of the flower can attract insects and promote disease. Therefore, removing them will benefit the plant.

Pruning rules

Use clean and very sharp secateurs for pruning. Remove the flower where it meets the stem above a set of healthy leaves. Also, make sure you do not damage the new ones.

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