• Purple flower with green leaves in the background
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Clematis Elsa Spath

Clematis Elsa Spath

Clematis ‘Elsa Späth

$45.00
$45.00
Sale Sold out
Taxes included.
Pot Size/Grade

If you love that classic clematis look — big blooms, strong colour, and an easy climb up a trellis — Clematis ‘Elsa Späth’ is a solid go-to. It’s an early large-flowered clematis with large violet-blue to blue-purple flowers and standout reddish anthers, so it reads well from a distance on fences, arches and pergolas. It’s a great choice for South Island gardens because it gives you a strong spring/early summer display, then often pops up with extra flowers later if it’s kept happy and pruned right.

Garden uses: trellis against a fence, pergola posts, archways, or weaving through an open shrub/rose to add flower up high without taking extra ground space.

Expect flowering from spring into summer, with many plants giving another showing later depending on conditions and pruning. In South Island terms, think Nov–Jan as the main run, with possible extras into late summer/early autumn.

  • Expected 5 Year Height M Width M

Is Clematis Elsa Spath suitable for my garden?

Clematis Elsa Spath is best suited in a position that gets

  • Full sun

Clematis Elsa Spath is

  • Flowering
  • Fast-growing

Clematis Elsa Spath will thrive in soil that is

How to establish your Clematis Elsa Spath?

Planting steps
Dig wide and mix compost through the planting zone (clematis hate being “pot-holed” into poor soil).
Plant slightly deeper than the pot level (a few cm) so it can shoot from low down if needed.
Water in well, then keep moisture consistent for the first summer (especially in Canterbury/North Otago drying winds).
Keep the roots cool: mulch 5–8 cm and/or plant a low groundcover at the base (classic “cool feet” clematis trick).
Feed in spring with a slow-release general fertiliser and a top-up of compost.

How to maintain your Clematis Elsa Spath once established?

Clematis ‘Elsa Späth’ is Pruning Group 2 (light prune) — it flowers mainly on stems made the previous season, with potential later flowers on new growth.

When to prune (NZ timing)

1) Late winter / early spring (Aug–Sep) — the main prune

Remove dead or weak stems.
Shorten remaining stems back to strong, healthy buds to keep a tidy framework (don’t cut it to the ground).

2) After the first main flowering (Dec–Jan) — tidy + encourage more flowers

Lightly trim spent blooms back to a strong set of buds/shoots.
This encourages fresh growth and can help with a later flush.

If it’s become a tangled mess: renovate gradually (remove a few older stems right down each year) rather than hard-cutting everything at once — Group 2 clematis flower best with some older framework left in place.
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