Smooth Sumac vs Blue Boy Clematis - TreeTime.ca

Smooth Sumac vs Blue Boy Clematis

Rhus glabra

Clematis integrifolia Blue Boy

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Smooth Sumac
Blue Boy Clematis

Smooth Sumac is an excellent shrub for both its ornamental appeal and tolerance of difficult planting sites. You'll love the attractive pyramidal spikes of hairy, red berries that emerge on female plants and the fern-like foliage that covers both male and female varieties.

Ensure you give Smooth Sumac enough space to spread out due to its high suckering nature. While not ideal for small, urban yards, this shrub will make a stunning border along a woodland edge or roadside.

Note:These plants typically reach maturity and make their sex easily known (females producing fruit) in their 3rd or 4th year of growth. Our seedlings are too young to identify their sex.

Blue Boy Clematis is a cold-hardy, fast growing, woody climbing vine. Hundreds of stunning steel-blue bell shaped flowers adorn the vine throughout the summer that droop and appear to hang in the air. The fibrous stems spread and create a fan-like symmetry shape.

This species will do best with support from a trellis, fence, or even other shrubs or tree stumps.

The Blue Boy Clematis was developed in Manitoba, Canada in 1947 by famous breeder Frank L. Skinner by crossing C. integrifolia x C. viticella, but it didn’t gain popularity until the 1990’s.

Smooth Sumac Quick Facts

Blue Boy Clematis Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2b
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: long, thin
Fall colour: scarlet red
Flowers: steel blue
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: yes
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: BC, SK, MB, ON