Niobe Clematis http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ClemaisN 23 June 2009 Niobe Clematis This magnificent bloomer is about four years old. The color varies with the picture taking light to some degree, but the last picture is probably the true color.
I'd expect it to be redder. http://images.google.com/images?hl=...=0&q=clematis niobe&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi Lovely, very deep, velvety red --C. Lloyd/T. Bennett, Clematis (1989, Capability's Books, Deer Park) The colour on opening is an extremely dark, almost black, ruby-red, which changes to a bright ruby. The cream stamens form a fine contrast --B. Fretwell, A Comprehensive Guide to Clematis (1997, HarperCollins)
That seems pretty close to what we have. Unfortunately it was killed to the ground 3 years ago, likely fungal disease. It disappeared completely for 2 years, then last year a couple of shoots came out. This year will will see it's first flowers after bneing barren for a while.
