Clematis japonica 'Gokanosho'

150-764-1 Clematis japonica 'Gokanosho'
Joy Creek Photo Archive (c) all rights reserved	Thanks to the Rogerson Clematis Collection for giving us our specimen of this hard-to-find climber. Clematis japonica 'Gokanosho' was found in Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu, Japan, by Tetsushi Shiraishi in a district called Goka no sho. It is notable for the modest variegation that it has on its foliage. Our plant has leaves that are splashed or lightly mottled in creamy white, although sometimes leaves are all green. Sometimes there is a blush of pink in the variegation. The variegation is most noticeable when the vine is in bloom. The bell-shaped flowers have four very fleshy sepals that recurve at their tips. The purple red is deepest at the sepal tips and grows gradually paler, almost white, at the top of the inch-long bell. Inside the sepals are pale with greenish white filaments. May to June. 6-12 ft. Purple Red flowers *Sun, Part Shade Zones 6, 7, 8, 9*
To keep this vine in scale, cut this back to a good growth point at the end of winter. Or you can leave it unpruned to allow it to cover a fence or arbor.