P.O. Box 3558
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3558
Strowd Roses, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Virgin’s-bower
Clematis virginiana, commonly known as Virgin’s Bower, Woodbine, or Devil’s Darning Needles, is a fast-growing woody vine native to central and eastern North America. It produces dense clusters of small fragrant white flowers from late summer through early autumn. Following the summer bloom, the female flowers transform into dramatic seed heads that resemble silvery tufts giving the vine distinct late-season visual interest.
Grow Guide
- Light: Full Sun to Part Shade (blooms most heavily in full sun, though root zone prefers shade)
- Hardiness: USDA Zones 3–9
- Size: 12–20 feet tall (climbing) with a spread of 3–6 feet
- Watering: Medium to wet; prefers consistently moist, well-draining soils and tolerates wet, boggy conditions or heavy clay better than many other vines.
- Best Use: Ideal for trellises, arbors, fences, or allowing to naturalize over stone walls and banks. It provides valuable nectar for native bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects, while offering sheltered nesting cover for songbirds. (Note: Can spread aggressively by self-seeding or suckering, so give it ample room to roam or prune back annually in late winter.)
