15cm / 1.5L

Golden Clematis

Clematis tibetana subsp. tangutica

Name: Clematis tibetana subsp. tangutica
Brand: GROW TROPICALS
SKU: CLEMTIBETANG15
Price: 17.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

£17.99

Very hardySun-loving

Pot size

15cm / 1.5L £17.99

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Description

Clematis tibetana subsp. tangutica, known in gardens simply as Clematis tangutica, is the golden clematis: nodding, thick-petalled yellow lanterns from June right through to October, overlapping with great silvery whorls of silky seedheads that hold on the bare stems deep into winter. Few climbers give two seasons this generous.

Hardiness and seasons. Rated H6 by the RHS, hardy to around -20C, it grows anywhere in the UK with no winter protection. It is deciduous and fast, reaching 4 to 8m in 2 to 5 years, flowering on the current season's growth.

In the garden. Run it along a fence, over a shed or through a large shrub as fast flowering cover among our climbing plants, or use it as informal screening that earns its place twice a year. It is happy on any aspect, thrives on chalk, and one hard prune each late winter keeps it fresh, compact and covered in flower. Wear gloves when pruning, as the sap can irritate skin.

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All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Golden Clematis

Plant me in full sun and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.

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About Golden Clematis

Clematis tibetana subsp. tangutica needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.

Good for

Exotic Borders Screening & Privacy

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H6 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −20°C

RHS H6 (-20 to -15C), fully hardy throughout the UK with no protection needed. Deciduous: bare stems and silver seedheads are its winter look. See what to expect from outdoor plants.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered

Full sun or partial shade, any aspect including north-facing, exposed or sheltered. Flowers best with its top growth in sun and the root zone cool and shaded.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAlkaline pHNeutral pH

Any moderately fertile, well-drained soil: chalk, clay, loam or sand, neutral to alkaline preferred. Excellent on chalk. Plant 5 to 8cm deeper than it sits in the pot.

Watering

Plant 5 to 8cm deep, water well for the first season or two, then largely self-sufficient. Prune hard (group 3) each late winter. Read moreShow less

Plant 5 to 8cm deep, water well for the first season or two, then largely self-sufficient. Prune hard (group 3) each late winter.

Mature size

Height4 to 8m (RHS)

Spread2.5 to 4m (RHS)

Reaches full size in 2 to 5 years

Growth habit

Climbing

Flowering

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June to October (RHS: early summer and again through autumn), nodding golden-yellow lantern flowers to 4cm, overlapping with silky silver seedheads that hold from autumn into winter · Yellow

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

RHS pruning group 3: flowers on the current season's growth, so cut all stems back hard to a pair of strong buds 15 to 30cm above ground in late winter or early spring (February). Left unpruned it becomes a very large tangled plant; hard annual pruning keeps it fresh and flowering low down. If you want the winter seedheads, prune in late winter after enjoying them rather than in autumn.

Toxicity

RHS: skin irritant - wear gloves and protective equipment when handling; harmful to pets (including rabbits) if eaten.

Native range

Central Asia to China

Family

Ranunculaceae

Also known as

Clematis tibetana subsp. tangutica

Genus

Clematis

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you prune Clematis tangutica?

The easy way: it is pruning group 3. Cut every stem back hard to a pair of strong buds 15 to 30cm above ground in late winter, around February. It flowers on new growth, so this keeps flowers low down and the plant fresh. If you love the winter seedheads, enjoy them first and prune at the end of winter.

When does it flower?

From June through to October in flushes, with the main show from midsummer. The silky seedheads start forming alongside the later flowers, so by autumn the plant carries lanterns and silver whorls at once.

Is it evergreen?

No, it is deciduous. The leaves drop in autumn, leaving the stems dressed in those silvery seedheads, which hold through most of the winter and catch frost beautifully.

Is it too vigorous for a small garden?

Only if you never prune it. Left alone it builds into a big tangled plant, but because it flowers on new growth you can cut it almost to the ground every year, so a fence panel or arch is perfectly realistic in a small space.

Will it grow on a north-facing fence?

Yes. It tolerates any aspect, and still flowers well on a north fence as long as the growth can reach some light. For the heaviest flowering, give the top growth sun. It pairs well with evergreen shade planting at its feet.

What is the difference between this and Clematis 'Bill MacKenzie'?

'Bill MacKenzie' is a garden hybrid of this species with larger flowers and an RHS award. The straight species is daintier, with smaller lanterns in greater profusion, and comes true to its wild character. Both are superb; this is the wilder, more natural look for an exotic border backdrop.

Does my plant come with a pot?

Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.

How big will my plant be when it arrives?

Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.

What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?

There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.

What should I do when my plant arrives?

First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.

Will my plant survive being shipped?

Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.

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Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

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From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

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All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

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Clematis tibetana subsp. tangutica

£17.99