Clematis alpina - Alpine Clematis (Ranunculaceae)

Alpine Clematis growing in the Triglav National Park in
Slovenia

This lovely creeping wildlflower s the only alpine clematis species to be found in Europe, the others being mainly confined to Asia. The size and beauty of the flowers are much more reminiscent of the exotic imported clematis plants that we buy from nurseries to plant in our gardens at home in the UK than our native species, Clematis vitalba. The common name of Clematis vitalba, which is Old Man's Beard, describes the fluffy seedheads which are generally better known that the insignificant white flowers that precede them.

Clematis alpina is found throughout Central Europe, and there is a subspecies with white flowers that is found in northern Norway, Finland and also in Poland.

Alpine Clematis grows in rocky mountain woodlands and on the edges of pastures where it clambers over other plants, often creating magnificent cascades of flowers. It flowers in June and July.

The specimen on this page whas photographed in Slovenia in July.