One of the most interesting Polish varieties of clematis, included in the Large-flowered Early Flowering Group, is 'Stefan Franczak'.She won a gold medal in the competition of new products of the exhibition "Green is Life" in 2014. Source of Good Climbers entered the competition by the Clematis nursery. Its creator is Szczepan Marczyński, and the name commemorates the excellent Polish breeder of clematis and daylilies, a Jesuit monk, Stefan Franczak (1917-2009).
Clematis 'Stefan Franczak' grows moderately fast, reaching 1.7-2 m in height.It creates single and tripartite light green leaves.Petioles have the ability to wrap around supports, thanks to which the climber quickly climbs up posts, trellises or other openwork structures. Young shoots are green-purple and when ripe they are brown.
A characteristic feature of the new variety are intensely blue flowers with wavy tepalsand a lighter center. They are 6 to 10 cm in diameter, made up of six tepals with a lighter strip running down the center, whitening at the base and fancifully wavy edges. The stamens have yellow anthers on white filaments. The climber blooms profusely in June and July.
Clematis 'Stefan Franczak' easily grows on all kinds of nets, poles, lines, posts, bars, fences, walls of gazebos and pergolas.It looks beautiful in perennial beds, among the branches and shoots of small openwork trees or shrubs, and against the background of conifers. Suitable for growing in containers.Blue flowers look especially nice against the background of trees and shrubs with yellow foliage.
Growing clematis
Clematis 'Stefan Franczak' grows best on fertile, humus, moist, but drained and permeable soils, with a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH.If the soil in the place where you plan to plant the plants is poor, it is worth fertilizing it, and the compact clay soils must be loosened.
The creeper prefers well-lit places, stands with eastern, western or northern exposure. In very sunny and hot places, flowers fade and fade faster. Plants should be planted at least 30 cm from walls or about a meter from larger plants that are their natural support for climbing.
The climber is frost-resistant and does not require special care.Cutting clematis blooming in spring and early summer is limited to removing damaged or dead shoots. Plants can be gently shortened at a height of about 1.5 m. Each stronger cut will reduce flowering.
