C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER
showing the colour of the newly opened flower, most flowers
seem to be with 4 sepals, but 5 or 6 sepals are not uncommon.
RHS colour 101d Blue, with a darker bar of 100c.
This clematis was raised by Wim Snoeijer in 2000 and was introduced by J. van Zoest B.V. in Boskoop, Holland in 2008. It is good to report on a clematis that has been growing in our garden for over 6 years. I am particularly pleased with the integrifolia hybrids, often referred to as the diversifolia group, as they seem to respond well to my wanting to grow clematis through a selection of shrubs and generally respond well to our very alkaline, well-drained soil. It took me a while to experiment with these integrifolia hybrids because virtually all integrifolia species will not grow in our garden. All but one integrifolia species have not lasted more than a year. (However, the exception has developed into a very large plant and is now in its 19th year.)
C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER
fades to almost white, on the RHS scale it ends close to 97d.
C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER and C. 'Zoeastri' EAST RIVER were purchased together from the nursery of J. van Zoest B.V. in Boskoop, Netherland and were planted adjacent to each other to grow through Hypericum 'Red Robin' or 'Magical Impression', which turned out to be a good choice because the yellow flowers of the Hypericum bloom about a month before the clematis are in flower. By then the the Hypericum is covered in red berries.
C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER
Planting C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER and C. 'Zoeastri' EAST RIVER together has proved to be a mistake as C. 'Zoeastri' EAST RIVER grows to 2 metres (6 ft) and is much more vigorous than C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER, which has an ultimate height of 1.3 metres (4 ft). Also, because the flowers of C. 'Zoeastri' EAST RIVER, being a maximum of 13 cm (5 inches) in diameter against C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER being 10 cm (4 inches), plus the colour of C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER flowers are a pale blue, so it is somewhat overshadowed by the larger size, colour and growth potential of C. 'Zoeastri' EAST RIVER.
C. 'Zoeastri' EAST RIVER above compared with C. 'Zostarri' STAR RIVER below.
Roy Nunn