Wednesday, May 14, 2014


Glacier National Park in Montana has so many dramatic vistas that one tends to overlook the small and beautiful things that sometimes get trampled underfoot.  A friend who saw this sent the picture to her favorite nursery, Annie's Annuals, and they replied that it appeared to be a "Clematis," most likely  "Tangutica."  They were also very kind to praise the photo as well.   I certainly had to admire the plant's  determination to get my attention as we walked along a rugged mountain path.  In a rarefied atmosphere and rocky terrain, it still managed to thrive where other plants couldn't exist.

We have a Clematis Street in our area but I never knew the origin of the name so I had to do some searching.  Apparently there are about 300 species of Clematis and Tangutica is one of the heartier ones... in fact, it's considered a "thug" in some parts of the world and can quickly overcome other plants if not regularly pruned.

1 comment: