Clematis
*** Clematis has special shipping rules- Read Below
Clematis is a wonderful and long lasting cut flower. The biggest issue is that most clematis cling to each other and to their support making them relatively impossible to harvest.
Cut flower Clematis do exist on the export market, but the rights and production are all controlled by large Dutch firms who produce the flowers in Kenya and then export them worldwide. Lucky for us, our friends at Kolster have been breeding some similar varieties that are available to us! In fact American growers will be some of the first in the world to try these new varieties.
The most notable feature is that these Clematis do not cling. You may have heard of "bush type" Clematis, which is more or less what these are. They do still get tall, but they won't grab onto each other or their trellis, so you will have to net them.
These are shipped as bare root plants, grown in Holland. They are quite small so you may want to pot them and grow them on for a few weeks before transplanting them. You can read much more about their culture in our Clematis Growing Guide.
They will produce a few stems in their first year, but years 2 and 3 will be much better. When you harvest, cut them down to 1 pair of leaves which will trigger new growth from below the soil. Each time you cut them back, they will grow back stronger and each spring you will notice the clump getting bigger and more robust.
Clematis "petals" are actual tepal tissue, which is more like a leaf than a petal. An old common name for Clematis is leather flower, due to the thick texture of the flower. This also makes them very long lasting as cuts. Cut just as the buds are opening and they will develop in the vase. They can easily last 10 or more days once they are brought out of the cooler.
They are hardy perennials, easily surviving to zone 4 and likely colder.
Bare root Clematis has a short shelf life, even when held in the cooler. The moment we receive them from Holland, they will be shipped to you immediately at a flat shipping rate of $10. Please pot them on arrival. There is no mininum order, and you may checkout with just one. Clematis can be ordered alongside other Bare Roots, but will not be combined with the other products in this program for shipping, and will not count towards the minimum order of 4 units.
Everything You Need to Know
Ordering
What are Bare Roots?
Where we Ship
We ship bare roots to the lower 48 states and Alaska via FedEx. (Sorry, Hawaii!)
When we Ship
All Bare Roots will ship in March 2026. Specific ship/delivery dates cannot be accommodated. You will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking information as soon as your order is on its way. *Clematis will be shipped separately from other bare roots.*
Order Minimums
All woody and bare root perennial varieties (with the exception of Hydrangea and Clematis) are sold in bundles of 10. Hydrangea are sold in bundles of 9 or 16, depending on the variety, as indicated in the product description. The minimum order is 4 total bundles of any variety excluding Clematis.
Clematis is sold in bundles of 25 roots. Clematis may be purchased individually, or alongside other bare root items. It will be shipped separately, and therefore does not count towards the 4 item minimum applicable to all other bare roots. Please see our shipping rules below.
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Active Orders
Order Confirmation
You will receive a confirmation email from info@farmerbailey.com shortly after placing your order. You will receive another email in February 2026 once we have a clearer idea as to exactly when your order will be received.
Substitutions and Shortages
In the unlikely event of an unexpected shortage, we will reach out to you to find a solution; be that a substitution, refund, or a combination thereof.
Cancellations
Orders may be cancelled up until February 1, 2026. Farmer Bailey retains a 10% cancellation fee on all canceled orders and order items.
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Shipping
Shipping
Bare Roots will ship via FedEx in March 2026 at a flat rate of $25 per box. 6 bundles fill one box, excluding Clematis.
So 4-6 bundles ship for $25, 7-12 bundles ship for $50, and so forth.
*Shipping to Alaska is $75 per box.
Clematis orders ship at a flat rate of $10 regardless of order size. Clematis may be ordered along with other bare root items, and doing so will add $10 to the shipping charge. So, one box of bare roots plus any Clematis will ship for $35.
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Damaged/Missing Items
Damaged Bare Roots
You may see a bit of mold on the roots, but this is normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game.
Damage in transit is unlikely, but always a possibility when shipping plant material, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration if this occurs. But fear not! We will work with you to make things right.
Claims. To file a claim, fill out this form within 24 hours of receiving your order. Based on our assessment, we'll issue the necessary refund(s) right away. We are unable to accept liability for bare root non-viability if no claim was made at the time of the roots' arrival. It is possible our team will request that you plant the bare roots in question and follow up based on the outcome of the roots on or after June 1st. Farmer Bailey will not accept claims on bare roots after June 1st.
Please note: transactions completed using PayPal Express as the payment method may only be eligible for credit at www.FarmerBailey.com. Farmer Bailey Inc. reserves the right to issue discount code in place of a cash refund in these instances.
What You'll Receive
Bare root woody plants are just that! Plants with bare roots. They are dug from the field where they were grown, are washed and then stored in the perfect climate over the winter months. This process has many benefits.
Soil is heavy and messy to ship. Removing the soil makes it possible to bring in these hard to find plants from Holland where they are grown by the very folks that breed them.
Soil also can harbor insects and pathogens, so removing plants from soil helps satisfy import requirements of the USDA and ensures you are receiving healthy disease free plant material. The plants are harvested in a dormant state and held that way until they are shipped. They won't even know they have changed countries when they wake up in your garden or field in the springtime.
Our woody plants are grown in the field in Holland for 1 year before shipping to you. They are pinched a couple of times during the growing season resulting in a stocky well branched plant that will have a good structure on arrival.
These plants will establish quickly in 2025 and you may be able to start harvesting as soon as 2026 on the faster maturing crops. Height will vary, but in general they will be around 12-16" in height.
What To Do With It
All of these plants will ship to you in March at a time approprate for planting. They will be just coming out of dormancy. You may see swelling buds or a bit of new growth, but in general they will be in a dormant state and may look a little dead. Don't worry! They will wake up.
You may see a bit of mold on the roots but this is completely normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game.
If you can't plant immediately on arrival store your bare roots in the cooler. Keep them damp and wrapped in plastic as dry roots are the kiss of death for this type of product. The cold will delay their growth. Keep them from freezing. You can either pot them into 1 gallon pots or plant them directly into your prepared soil. Just make sure to plant them within a few days of arrival. They are waking up and are ready to grow, and they will decline quickly if they are not given soil, water and sunshine.
If they arrive before you can plant outside or before it is reliably above freezing outdoors, pot them, and put them back into your cooler until spring advances. They will start to grow new roots immediately. When you see new buds on the trees and shrubs outdoors it is time to bring them out.
To be honest I am being overly cautious in my recommendations, but these these plants aren't cheap. They are a long term investment that will pay for themselves many times over if you get them through this brief period of transition. Read the directions and success sure to follow.
It is a carefully orchestrated process to get plants quickly from their storage conditions to you so please do your part and be ready to plant them on arrival. There is no reason that these plants will experience any stress if you prepare for their arrival.
Growing Guides
Click here to access all of our comprehensive growing guides.
| Common Name | Clematis |
| Genus | Clematis |
| Species | C. integrifolia |
| Family | Ranunculaceae |
| Life Cycle | Woody climbing vine/ Herbaceous Perennial |
| Format | Bare Roots |
| Plug Care | Upon receiving bare roots, transplant them immediately into well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Water thoroughly after planting to establish roots, and maintain consistent moisture during the establishment phase. These can be planted so that the eyes/growth points that should be visible upon arrival sit right below the surface. You want the crown of the plant (where the roots meet the stem) to be about 2" below the surface of the soil. If you are unable to plant right away, store them in a cooler, ideally in peat moss in a plastic bag to hold in humidity. While they are dormant and protected by soil, they will be frost hardy and can withstand light frosts. They will resume growth when the conditions are right. |
| Netting / Staking | The "Magical" varieties we are currently offering are non-climbing; they have leaves that lack the tendril-like stems that the vine would traditionally use to cling to a trellis as they grow upwards. No tendrils makes for much easier harvesting, however this means you must provide the plants with support if you want long, straight stems. Without support these plants will sprawl along the ground and on neighboring plants, leading to curved and tangled stems. Using multiple layers of Hortonova netting (Kolster recommends 3) to help keep growth straight and upright. These plants will grow to approximately 30 inches in height in the first year - the perfect, manageable height. If planted above 1500m elevation, stems might be shorter. |
| Temperature Range | Clematis are typically hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4-9. These cut flower types from Kolster have not been trialed below zone 7 but should theoretically be as hardy as any other clematis. |
| Spacing | Kolster recommends (approximately) 12"x12" spacing (12/square meter), planted in a grid pattern for high intensity planting. To promote adequate air circulation and reduce disease risk, you could consider planting 12-18 inches apart. This spacing also facilitates easier access for harvesting. |
| Soil Preference | Clematis prefers well-drained, fertile soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Incorporate compost or aged manure to enhance soil fertility and structure. You may have heard of the old saying 'feet in the shade, head in the sun' for Clematis - they do like cooler, rich, moist soil, so use a nice layer of mulch as insulation from the hot sun. This step however, is not completely necessary, as the foliage from the growing plants will shade the roots. These are not overly heavy feeders, but plan to fertilize a few times through the growing season with a balanced fertilizer. The best times to fertilize are in the spring, as new growth resumes, and after any hard prune when the plants are expected to provide another flush of stems and flowers. |
| Day Length | Daylength neutral. Clematis thrives in full sun. For optimal flowering and stem quality, ensure plants receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. |
| Pinching | Pinching young plants can encourage bushier growth and more flowering stems. Once plants reach 5-6 inches in height, pinch back the growing tips to 2 pairs of leaves to promote lateral branching. Pinch a second and third time, to encourage more side shoots and once a sizable plant has developed you can let the stems grow. Plants left un-pinched will only produce 2-3 shorter stems and will be much less productive in the first year. |
| When to Plant | Plant bare roots in spring upon arrival. Because they are still dormant, they will be hardy to light spring frosts. Tender, fresh active growth is less hardy to frosts. In warmer climates, summer and fall planting of Clematis is also feasible, allowing roots to establish before winter. However, we are only shipping our specialty Clematis from Kolster in the spring. |
| Harvesting | Harvest stems when buds are fully colored and petals are lifting but not yet fully open, typically in the morning when plants are turgid. Use sharp, clean shears to cut stems at the desired length, just above a leaf node to encourage regrowth. For local markets, flowers can be a little more open without sacrificing vase life - there is less threat of damage during transport with local use. If shipping cut blooms, harvest when buds are tighter. To encourage 2-3 flushes of flower per year, cut the entire plant to an inch or two from the ground. This will trigger the plant to send out another flush of stems. |
| Post Harvest Care | Immediately place cut stems in clean, cool or tepid water - floral preservatives such as Chrysal clear may enhance vase life. Allow stems to hydrate in a cool, dark environment for several hours before arranging. Regularly change the water and recut stems to maintain freshness; expect a vase life of up to two weeks. Note that Clematis do not perform well in floral foams such as Oasis. (We shouldn't be using floral foams anyways!) |
| Diseases / Insects | Monitor for common pests such as aphids, slugs, and spider mites. While Clematis are typically pest-free, fungal diseases like powdery mildew and clematis wilt can occur; ensure proper spacing and air circulation to mitigate these issues. Employ organic or chemical controls as necessary. |
| Bailey's Notes | Traditional Clematis often have decorative seed pods when the flower period has come to an end - these can also be used for arrangements. We are unsure what the "Magical" series seed pods look like. As mentioned, cutting the plants back to the ground after the first and subsequent harvests will encourage the flowers to send up additional flushes. These varieties are brand new to market and have not been tested extensively outside the Netherlands; please report back with you findings so we can update this grow guide with well-tailored information! |
| Resources |