How to prune clematis

Group 1: after flowering (spring); Groups 2 & 3: late winter to early spring (February–March). For Group 3, cut all stems back to 30–45 cm, just above a strong pair of buds. For Group 2, cut weak stems hard and trim strong stems to the first healthy buds. For Group 1, only remove dead, damaged, or overcrowded stems after flowering.

Annually (Group 3: hard prune each year; Group 2: light annual prune; Group 1: as needed). Clematis pruning is critical but depends entirely on the group. Group 1 (spring-flowering) needs little pruning — tidy after bloom. Group 2 (large early-summer flowers) needs light pruning to a pair of strong buds in late winter. Group 3 (late summer) is cut hard to 30–45 cm from the ground in late winter.

For Group 3, cut all stems back to 30–45 cm, just above a strong pair of buds. For Group 2, cut weak stems hard and trim strong stems to the first healthy buds. For Group 1, only remove dead, damaged, or overcrowded stems after flowering.