Clematis 'Ernest Markham' (Ernest Markham clematis) care

Light

Clematis 'Ernest Markham' needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Needs full sun for the best flower display; this cultivar can flower sparsely in too much shade. Keep the root zone cool and shaded with mulch or low planting. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.

Watering

Water clematis 'ernest markham' when the top 3-4 cm of soil is dry, about weekly in summer. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Keep soil consistently moist during the growing season, watering deeply at the base. Established plants tolerate brief dry spells but flower best with steady moisture.

Soil and pot

Clematis 'Ernest Markham' grows best in fertile, moisture-retentive well-drained loam, neutral to slightly alkaline. Add compost at planting and set the crown 5-8 cm below soil level as wilt insurance. Drainage must be free, with no risk of waterlogging. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Clematis 'Ernest Markham' sits happiest at around Outdoor ambient humidity and -20 to 25°C (-4 to 77°F). A hardy garden climber needing no special humidity. Airflow around the leaves reduces the risk of mildew and wilt. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed clematis 'ernest markham' sparingly. Feed in early spring with a balanced fertiliser, then a high-potash feed such as tomato fertiliser every two to three weeks through budding and flowering. Mulch the roots each spring with compost to feed and keep them cool. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on clematis 'ernest markham' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Sparse flowering in shade — 'Ernest Markham' is a sun-lover and blooms poorly in shade. Give it a warm, sunny aspect and it will flower long and abundantly.
• Bare base — Hard annual pruning leaves the lower stems bare. Prune to 20-30 cm in late winter and screen the base with lower-growing companions.
• Clematis wilt — Sudden stem collapse from fungal wilt can occur. Plant deep, water consistently, and cut affected stems back to healthy tissue or to ground level.
• Powdery mildew — Late-season mildew can appear in still, humid air. Improve ventilation, water at the base rather than overhead, and clear affected growth.

Propagation

Propagate by internodal softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in summer, or by layering. Named cultivars will not come true from seed. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Clematis 'Ernest Markham' is toxic to pets. The ASPCA lists Clematis as toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The toxic principle is the irritant glycoside protoanemonin, which causes salivation, vomiting and diarrhoea if ingested. The sap can also irritate skin. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Clematis 'Ernest Markham' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of clematis 'ernest markham' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Clematis 'Ernest Markham' watering schedule
• Clematis 'Ernest Markham' light requirements
• Best soil mix for clematis 'ernest markham'
• Clematis 'Ernest Markham' fertilizing guide
• When to repot clematis 'ernest markham'
• How to propagate clematis 'ernest markham'
• Clematis 'Ernest Markham' growth rate & size
• Clematis 'Ernest Markham' cold hardiness
• Clematis 'Ernest Markham' temperature & humidity
• Is clematis 'ernest markham' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is clematis 'ernest markham' toxic to cats?
• Is clematis 'ernest markham' toxic to dogs?
• Getting clematis 'ernest markham' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Clematis 'Ernest Markham' qualifies for 6 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best trailing & climbing houseplants — Vining and trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging pots, and moss poles — selected by growth habit.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Best fast-growing houseplants — Houseplants documented as fast or vigorous growers — quick to fill a pot, cover a pole or trail down a shelf.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Clematis 'Ernest Markham' is also commonly called Ernest Markham clematis or magenta clematis.

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