A charming herbaceous species clematis, Clematis integrifolia is native to Central and Eastern Europe extending into western Asia, where it grows in sunny meadows, steppes, and open woodland margins. Unlike its vining relatives, this species forms a tidy, upright, bushy clump typically reaching 12–24 inches tall, making it well-suited for the rock garden or front of a sunny border. Its nodding, bell-shaped blue to violet flowers bloom profusely in early to mid-summer and are often followed by decorative, silky seed heads that persist attractively into autumn. Hardy to USDA zone 3, it thrives in full sun to light shade and prefers well-drained soil. A light support or neighboring rocks can help keep stems upright, though it often grows well without. Prune to the ground in late winter to encourage fresh growth each season.

This compact, non-climbing clematis is ideal for adding long-lasting interest and texture to rock gardens, troughs, and naturalistic plantings. We got the seed from Kathy Allens garden and Joleen grew this with the chemeketa community college students, so it has a cool provenance.