Clematis alpina subsp. ochotensis var. fusijamana ("Miyamahanshozuru")

Japanese name: ミヤマハンショウヅル （深山半鐘蔓）
Scientific name: Clematis alpina subsp. ochotensis var. fusijamana

[Overview]
A deciduous woody vine found at forest edges and in grasslands in the subalpine to alpine zones.
The stem is tinged with purple.
The leaves are opposite and 2 times ternately compound.
The leaflets are lanceolate, 1.7–8 cm long and 0.6–4 cm wide, with pointed tips and coarsely toothed margins.
The leaf veins are sunken on the upper surface.
The petiole is 3–7 cm long.
The flowers are borne singly at the tips of branches grown in the current year and hang downward.
The flowers are purple to reddish purple, and 4 petal-like sepals stand out.
The sepals are elliptic to narrowly ovate, 2–3.5 cm long and 0.6–2 cm wide, with tail-like pointed tips and densely white-haired margins.
The flower stalk is 6–14 cm long.
The fruit is an achene 3–4 mm long.
The long style of the pistil persists on the fruit and becomes feathery, densely covered with hairs.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
Take cuttings from new vines that grew after flowering, cutting them when the surface has hardened, and insert them.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated site with fertile soil.
Avoid places where strong afternoon sun hits the base of the plant, and dry places.
It is also somewhat sensitive to the heat and humidity of midsummer, so move potted plants to a cool, airy place in partial shade.
It dislikes dryness, so take care that it does not dry out too much, and water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
After flowering and in autumn, apply organic fertilizer placed on the soil.
The vines grow well, so train them onto a support or similar.
Flower buds form on new shoots, and heavy pruning in autumn or later will prevent flowering the following year, so avoid pruning as much as possible or limit it to light pruning that tidies the branch tips.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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