Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana)

Virgin's Bower is a perennial vine that can extend up many feet.  Its stems easily twine around trellises, fences, and nearby vegetation. Virgin's Bower prefers partial sun, moist to mesic conditions and loam soil.  One can often find Virgin's Bower in moist thickets, woodlands, moist meadows, floodplains, and riverbanks. 
 
White flowers abundantly spread along the length of the vine, typically in panicles, or small clusters. There is much variation in the flowers; a single plant can either produce all staminate flowers (male), all pistillate flowers (female), or all perfect flowers (both male and female reproductive parts).  Regardless of gender, the flowers are less than 1" across with four sepals that are white or cream colored. These flowers bloom mid-late summer and last about a month.  These flowers are visiteed by Halictid bees, wasps, and various flies.  Virgin's Bower is toxic to mammals, however, the foliage is often used as nesting habitat for many songbirds.
 
Zone: 3 to 8
Height: 12.00 to 20.00 feet
Spread: 3.00 to 6.00 feet
Bloom Time: August to October
Bloom Description: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy, Fragrant
Tolerate: Deer, Black Walnut