Clematis crispa L.

Swamp Leather Flower; Southern Leather Flower; Curly Leather Flower

Vine

Perennial

Vascular

Swamp Leather Flower is a native herbaceous perennial vine in the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is native to much of the southern two-thirds of Alabama with isolated stations further north. It occurs along streams and rivers, around ponds and lakes, along wet roadside ditches, and in swamps and bottomland forests. It is a vine climbing by tendrils. The vines are up to 9 feet in length and are glabrous or slightly pubescent. The leaves are 1-2 pinnate with 4-10 leaflets and a terminal tendril. The leaves are opposite and glabrous. The leaflets are lanceolate to ovate in outline, entire or 3-5 lobed. The leaves are thin, not conspicuously reticulate, and not glaucous. Flowers are solitary and terminal. The flowers are bell-shaped with 4 strongly recurved bluish sepals. The margins of the sepals are crispate (with a wavy or curly edge). The fruit is a head of achenes. The achenes are appressed pubescent with long beaks. Swamp Leather Flower is sometimes available from native plant nurseries. It grows best in fertile, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Much plants to prevent the roots from drying out and provide a trellis for the vines to climb.--A. Diamond

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Native FACW+ (NWPL)

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