Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Clematis integrifolia (Clematis integrifolia)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called solitary clematis, bush clematis.

More about clematis integrifolia

About Clematis integrifolia

Clematis integrifolia · also called solitary clematis, bush clematis · flowering

A compact, non-climbing herbaceous clematis forming a low clump of upright stems, each topped in summer with solitary nodding, bell-shaped blue to violet flowers with recurved tips, followed by silky seedheads. Cut to the ground in late winter (Group 3). Ideal at the front of a border or weaving through low perennials.

Cold limit: USDA 3-7 · RHS H7 (-30 to 30°C)

Watch for — Crown rot in wet soil: Cold, waterlogged ground can rot the crown over winter. Plant in free-draining soil and avoid heavy, soggy sites.

What clematis integrifolia's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — clematis integrifolia is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 3-7, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H7 means: Hardy in the severest European continental winters. On the US scale that maps to USDA 3-7 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. Clematis integrifolia is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for clematis integrifolia as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can clematis integrifolia go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 3-7 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when clematis integrifolia can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H7 figure above.

Clematis integrifolia hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is clematis integrifolia cold hardy?

Yes — clematis integrifolia is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 3-7, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Clematis integrifolia is hardy across USDA 3-7; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature clematis integrifolia can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. Clematis integrifolia is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is clematis integrifolia?

Clematis integrifolia is rated USDA 3-7 and RHS H7 — Hardy in the severest European continental winters.

Can clematis integrifolia survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 3-7 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to clematis integrifolia below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.