Perhaps you feel that plants should be able to choose their own partners. But I’m from the old country and want to select the perfect matches for my plants!

Books have been written on companion plantings, because there is value in knowing which plants share certain cultural requirements and which ones have a symbiotic relationship to help ward off diseases or to improve nutritional intake. 

But I am talking about a real marriage in which two plants grow together and almost appear as if they are one.

I transplanted a purple smoketree last fall with the intention of finding the perfect climbing match. Cotinus coggygria has a nice open branching structure that allows for a climber to entwine itself through the tree without the foliage getting too congested. I contacted a local expert from the International Clematis Society to consult on the perfect match for my 12-foot smoketree. By the way, is Clematis pronounced klem-uh-tis or kli-mat-is? Either way, I am very happy with their recommendation: Clematis ‘Huldine.’ It blooms on new wood and is scheduled in the Clematis Group Three for early spring pruning. It produces pearly white flowers that will contrast nicely with the puffy smoketree blooms and stand out against the purple foliage from July to October. And at its mature height, C. ‘Huldine’ should fill my smoketree nicely.

Time will tell if my matchmaking skills are successful and if these two will have a long and happy life together. I can’t wait to see passer-byers stop and wonder what kind tree this is that produces all these pearly white flowers!

If you have arranged any successful marriages, I’d love to hear about them.

Posted by Bob Rensel