Northwest Blooms · Vines
Clematis patens 'Souvenir du Capitaine Thuilleaux'
Souvenir du Capitaine Thuilleaux Clematis
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Height
- 8 to 12 ft
- Width
- 3 to 6 ft
- Flower color
- Silvery white blossoms with bright pink central bar and purple anthers
- Foliage color
- Deep green pinnate leaves forming a lush climbing vine
- Bloom time
- Early to mid summer
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Moderate moisture
- Maintenance
- Moderate; requires support or trellis; light pruning after flowering to remove weak stems
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
- Wildlife
- Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
About this plant
Clematis patens 'Souvenir du Capitaine Thuilleaux' produces large, luminous blossoms in soft silvery white, each tepal accented by a distinct bright pink central bar. The broad, slightly overlapping tepals create an open, elegant flower form that highlights the contrasting center of reddish-purple anthers. Mid-green foliage provides a clean backdrop for the refined floral coloring.
Blooming begins in late spring with repeat flowering into summer. This cultivar originated in France in the early twentieth century and remains valued for trellises, arches, and garden obelisks, where its pale tones brighten vertical spaces and pair well with shrubs and roses.
Works well in
Arbors & Trellises · Fences & Walls · Vertical Screening · Cottage Gardens · Pollinator Gardens
Companion plants
Hellebores · Hydrangeas · Astilbes · Foxgloves · Bergenias · Sedums
Design tip
Summer flowers carry the middle of the season, so place it where the bed needs color once spring bulbs fade. Give it something sturdy to climb and keep the base planted with lower perennials, which shades the roots and hides bare stems.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Rogerson Clematis Garden.
