Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Monday - November 29, 2010

From: Granbury, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources, Vines
Title: Looking for seed for Clematis drummondii in Granbury, TX.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I am trying to landscape with native Texas plants. I want a Clematis drummondii and have no idea where to get one. I read it grows readily from seeds, but I cannot locate any. Can you help. Also, growing from seed, one would not know if the plants were male or female (which produce the plumes), right? How old would the plants have to be to tell if they were male or female? I'm willing to grow from seed if I can just find some.

ANSWER:

Clematis drummondii (Drummond's clematis) is a hardy, perennial vine that is showy when it flowers, and perhaps even more spectacular in the Fall when the plumes on the fruits appear. It is a dioecious plant, having staminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers on separate plants. The pistillate flowers, of course, are the ones that produce the plumes, and there is no way to tell the plants apart until they flower.

Generally, Mr. Smarty Plants would refer you to our Suppliers Directory to find a source of seeds or plants, but his perusal of the directory wasn't very productive. Stuart's Nursery in Weatherford, TX mentions Clematis in its plant descriptions, but it isn't on their plant list.

Easywildflowers.com  has seeds for Clematis virginia Clematis virginiana (Devil's darning needles). This USDA distribution map shows it occurring in Mc Clennan County and further east of Hood County.

Another possibility is for you to collect wild seed, but your window of opportunity for this year is closing. This USDA publication has information about collecting and germinating seed from various species of Clematis. This USDA distribution map shows that C. drummondii occurs in Ellis County and in counties further west and south of Hood County.

You could also contact members of the North Central Texas Chapter and the Cross Timbers Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas to help you in this quest.

 

From the Image Gallery


Old man's beard
Clematis drummondii

Old man's beard
Clematis drummondii

Devil's darning needles
Clematis virginiana

Devil's darning needles
Clematis virginiana

More Seed and Plant Sources Questions

Yaupons not showing berries in Euless, TX
May 04, 2009 - From all I have read, Possumhaw holly is supposed to have berries only on the female. However I have been told and read conflicting things about whether you must have both a male & female in order f...
view the full question and answer

Is Cissus trifoliata a food source for wildlife?
November 10, 2008 - We apparently have Cissus Trifoliata growing around and over our porch.I was thinking about trying to remove it and plant grape vines instead as our desert tortoises will eat grape leaves. My question...
view the full question and answer

Source for Habiturf sod in Central Texas
October 02, 2015 - Do you know any source for Habiturf sod in Central Texas? I contacted Blade Runner Farms and they replied that their Habiturf project was discontinued.
view the full question and answer

SITES (or CITES) accredited source for native orchids
January 03, 2012 - Do you know of a nursery which is SITES accredited which offer North American native orchids? I grow as a hobby indoor ones as well as keep my eyes out protecting the outside native ones we have: Spir...
view the full question and answer

Grasses for a prairie in southeast Texas
September 30, 2013 - We have a small place (about 100 acres) in Colorado County, Texas, on the Colorado River north of the town of Weimar. We are gradually clearing (bulldozing) the woods of cedars. One particular spot ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.