Virgin's Bower, Old Man's Beard, Devil's Darning Needles, Clematis virginiana L., Native Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

(Old Man's Beard, Devil's Darning Needles). A vine which you will usually spot via its' flowers which will be lying atop other vegetation. The flowers, occurring in stalked clusters from the leaf axils, have four white or cream color sepals and many stamens on the male flowers. Flowers can be male (staminate), female (pistillate) or perfect.; stems are square-like near branch junctions, leaves are 3 leaflets, coarsely toothed. Leaf stalks twist around other objects for support. In the fall the seed head is a set of beard-like tufts of plumed achenes, hence the other common name of "Old Man's Beard". The plant can be trained to grow on a trellis in the home garden. It does require full sun and it can become invasive. You will find it in many places in the Upland Garden. Certain species of Clematis, particularly C. flammula (Sweet-scented Virgins Bower) are poisonous as they contain an alkaloid, Clematine, which is a violent poison. C. virginiana is not known to be particularly hazardous but care should be taken in handling it. Clematis in the Greek refers to long supple branches and referred to an ancient plant. The common name, Virgin's Bower, is believed to come from the flowers which, when abundant, can form a cascade of white - white being a plant color referencing virginity.

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Virgin's Bower	Clematis virginiana L.	Buttercup	Upland	Early Summer to Early Autumn
Other names and notes	(Old Man's Beard, Devil's Darning Needles). A vine which you will usually spot via its' flowers which will be lying atop other vegetation. The flowers, occurring in stalked clusters from the leaf axils, have four white or cream color sepals and many stamens on the male flowers. Flowers can be male (staminate), female (pistillate) or perfect.; stems are square-like near branch junctions, leaves are 3 leaflets, coarsely toothed. Leaf stalks twist around other objects for support. In the fall the seed head is a set of beard-like tufts of plumed achenes, hence the other common name of "Old Man's Beard". The plant can be trained to grow on a trellis in the home garden. It does require full sun and it can become invasive. You will find it in many places in the Upland Garden. Certain species of Clematis, particularly C. flammula (Sweet-scented Virgins Bower) are poisonous as they contain an alkaloid, Clematine, which is a violent poison. C. virginiana is not known to be particularly hazardous but care should be taken in handling it. Clematis in the Greek refers to long supple branches and referred to an ancient plant. The common name, Virgin's Bower, is believed to come from the flowers which, when abundant, can form a cascade of white - white being a plant color referencing virginity.