Plant of the Moment - Pretty little Piilu

28 August 2020 | Pete

Clematis 'Piilu' - Abundant, colourful, compact and hardy. What more do you need?

Here is our latest 'Plant of the Moment' feature for you, we hope you enjoy it.

Clematis 'Piilu' was bred in the early 1980's in Estonia by the late Uno Kivistik an admired clematis grower and nurseryman.
'Piilu' was developed through an extensive breeding programme managed and run by the Kivistik family searching for very hardy varieties of clematis for the Baltic and Eastern European countries.
From the outset it was a popular plant because of its robust and prolific nature and in the milder climates of western Europe it was discovered that it will flower with double blooms from the previous years woody growth.
Read on to find out more.

Order Your Pretty Little Piilu Here.

Double flowers are often produced in the first flowering period for 'Piilu'.

In the first flowering period of May - July, pretty double and single, mid mauvy-pink flowers are produced with deep rose-pink bars, irregular white markings and a crown of yellow stamens. The later blooms of September-October are always single.
The plant can be treated as a Light Prune type of clematis, so pruning is carried out in late winter or early spring. Leaving a neat and tidy framework of the previous years growth at between 2-3 feet from the soil will allow the plant to produce double flowers and after these have finished, dead-heading or a general tidy up will encourage further growth from which it will flower a second time in the late summer and autumn.

Single flowers come from the current years growth around September & October

The flowers of 'Piilu' are between 2-4 inches across so not the largest, however what they lack in size they make up for in quantity and they look just right on a plant that makes an ultimate height of about 5-6 feet tall.
The compact and prolific nature of 'Piilu' makes it ideal for use on a small obelisk or trellis and it is also ideal for a small patio container.
Being a very hardy plant it will not require any winter protection and can stay outside all year round even when grown in a pot.
The name is pronounced Pee-loo and translated it means Little Duckling. How cute is that?!

Order now to receive a plant in bud & bloom.* I wonder which one of these is yours?

So what remains to be said about this super little plant?
Well let us take the words of a customer review - I have had this plant for 2 years now and it has never failed to delight me with its beautiful little blooms. The number of flowers it produces and the ease with which it grows is amazing and from now on I shall never be without one in my garden.
Rosemary from Doncaster.

'Piilu' growing over a wrought Iron Gate post at Chelsea Flower Show 2018 - Gold Medal exhibit.

Buy Your Garden Ready 'Piilu' Here!

Double and single blooms all at once. Pictured at Chelsea Flower Show 2018