Clematis 'H.F. Young' (H.F. Young clematis) care

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Performs best with at least 4-6 hours of sun on the top growth. Plant with the roots and lower stem shaded by ground-cover or a mulch, as cool roots promote vigour and flowering. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for clematis 'h.f. young' — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering clematis 'h.f. young': when the top 5 cm of soil or compost is dry, roughly every 5-7 days in the growing season. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Deep, thorough watering promotes healthy root development. Containerised specimens dry out faster and may need watering every 2-3 days in hot weather. Mulch garden plants to conserve moisture.

Soil and pot

Clematis 'H.F. Young' grows best in fertile, moisture-retentive, well-draining loam. A neutral to slightly alkaline pH (6.5-7.5) is preferred. Incorporate well-rotted compost into the planting hole. In containers use a loam-based compost (John Innes No. 3) for stability. 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 'H.F. Young' sits happiest at around 40-60% humidity and -20 to 25°C (-4 to 77°F). Average outdoor humidity is adequate. Avoid planting in still, sheltered pockets with poor air movement, which can promote powdery mildew on foliage. 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 'h.f. young' sparingly. Top-dress with well-rotted compost in early spring. Once buds appear, apply a high-potash liquid feed (tomato fertiliser) every 2-3 weeks through the first flowering flush and up to midsummer to encourage the repeat flush. 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 'h.f. young' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Clematis wilt — Stems wilt and blacken from the tips downward. Cut back to ground level; the plant usually regrows. Planting the crown 8-15 cm below soil level reduces the impact of wilt.
• Incorrect pruning — Group 2 plants must NOT be cut hard back in late winter — this removes the early-flowering buds. Light tidy only in late winter; cut back the late-summer stems lightly after the repeat flush.
• Powdery mildew — Common on clematis in dry summers; improve air circulation and avoid wetting foliage. Apply a potassium bicarbonate or sulfur-based spray if needed.
• Slugs on emerging shoots — Protect vulnerable new growth emerging from soil in spring with organic slug pellets or copper barriers.
• Faded flowers from too much sun — Very intense sun can bleach the blue flowers. Light afternoon shade preserves colour intensity.

Companion plants

Clematis 'H.F. Young' pairs well with Rosa 'New Dawn', Lonicera japonica 'Halliana', Actinidia kolomikta, and Wisteria sinensis. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Internodal stem cuttings with a single pair of leaves taken in late spring root in free-draining cutting compost at 18-20°C under mist or polythene. Layer low stems in summer, burying one or two nodes under 8 cm of soil; sever the following spring once well-rooted. 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 'H.F. Young' is toxic to pets. Clematis is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats and dogs. All plant parts contain ranunculin, which converts to the irritant protoanemonin on chewing, causing salivation, vomiting, and oral irritation. Keep away from pets. 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 'H.F. Young' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of clematis 'h.f. young' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common clematis 'h.f. young' problems & fixes
• Clematis 'H.F. Young' watering schedule
• Clematis 'H.F. Young' light requirements
• Best soil mix for clematis 'h.f. young'
• Clematis 'H.F. Young' fertilizing guide
• When to repot clematis 'h.f. young'
• How to propagate clematis 'h.f. young'
• How to prune clematis 'h.f. young'
• What's eating my clematis 'h.f. young'?
• Clematis 'H.F. Young' growth rate & size
• Clematis 'H.F. Young' cold hardiness
• Clematis 'H.F. Young' temperature & humidity
• Is clematis 'h.f. young' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is clematis 'h.f. young' toxic to cats?
• Is clematis 'h.f. young' toxic to dogs?
• All 44 Clematis varieties
• Getting clematis 'h.f. young' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

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

• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• 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.
• Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

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