Arabella Clematis (Clematis 'Arabella')
KLEM-ah-tis 'Arabella'

Deciduous Perennial Vine in the Ranunculaceae Family
A non-climbing, low-scrambling clematis with abundant violet-blue, nodding flowers from late spring through fall.

'Arabella' is a popular, award-winning clematis bred by Barry Fretwell and introduced in 1990. Unlike typical tall-climbing clematis, it has a low, mounding, non-vining habit, scrambling gently through neighboring shrubs or over low supports rather than climbing high. It produces an abundance of open-faced, nodding violet-blue flowers with a reddish-mauve cast from late spring through fall.

Pros

  • Long bloom season, from late spring through fall
  • Low, non-climbing habit, easy to use without a trellis
  • RHS Award of Garden Merit winner
  • Tolerant of black walnut (juglone)

Cons

  • Needs annual hard pruning (Pruning Group 3) in late winter or early spring
  • Benefits from consistently moist, well-drained soil
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 6 feet tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Exposure Partial Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 3a - 7b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Beneficial Insects, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Extended Bloom Time, Fast Growth Rate, Formal Garden, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Low Maintenance, Medium, Normal Soil, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Reblooms, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Vine, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period May to October
Flower Color Violet-Blue, Reddish-Mauve Cast
 

In The News

 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with roses and shrubs such as Choisya ternata for it to scramble through.

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2024 : 07/02 - 09/08

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!