General description: The Nelly Moser clematis variety was created near the end of the 19th century in Moser et Fils in France and won the Award of Merit in 1993.

Flowers: The Nelly Moser clematis has large flowers, 15 cm and even up to 20 cm in diameter. They consist of 6-8 mauve pink petals with an intense pink streak running through the middle. In the centre of each flower is a cluster of red anthers with a white filament. 

Blooming: This clematis blooms abundantly from May to June from old stems and flowers again from July to September on the current year’s growth, however more sparsely than in spring.

Leaves: Nelly Moser’s leaves are green and trifoliate, but can, very rarely, be a simple (‘single’) leaf. 

Cultivation requirements: The Nelly Moser clematis does not like direct sun exposure, preferring semi-shaded or shady spots. Planting this clematis near walls or other support fixtures with northern, eastern, or western exposure is recommended. For proper growth, clematises need fertile soil, moist soil rich in humus, with a neutral or slightly acidic pH. 

Care: In autumn it is worth covering the base of the plant either with compost or decomposed, old or granulated manure, and in mid-spring applying a slow-release fertilizer is recommended. Regular watering is needed during the growth season, from spring to early fall (unless heavy rainfall occurs).

Pruning: Trimming a young clematis plant should not be feared – such pruning forces outward growth right from the base, and as a result the shrub looks denser in later years. The Nelly Moser variety should be only lightly pruned, meaning that in the first year after planting, clipped just above healthy buds, around 30 cm from the ground. In the second year, some 70 cm above the base and in later years it should be cut to a height of up to 1.5 m (the younger or weaker the plant, the more should be cut from the top). Pruning clematises during blooming in spring and early summer should be limited to removing damaged or dead shoots, or, if needed, they may be trimmed to a height of about 1.5 m (this will reduce flowering, although not prevent it). 

Props: Thanks to the petioles the Nelly Moser produces, it easily grows on all kinds of nets, poles, hung ropes, grates and trellises, fences, pergolas and arbours, and is well suited for wrapping around natural support (e.g. trees). 

Overwintering: Nelly Moser is frost resistant (in hardiness zone 4, withstanding -34°C). Protecting young seedlings for the winter is advised, by piling a mound of soil or peat about 30 cm in height over the plant. This clematis is a deciduous shrub.

Origine: France.