Clematis vitalba (an aa kent as Auld man's beard an Traveller's Joy) is a shrub o the Ranunculaceae faimily.
Clematis vitalba is a climbin shrub wi branched, gruived stems, deciduous leaves, an scentit greeny-white flouers wi fluffy unnerlyin sepals. The mony fruits furmed in each inflorescence hae lang silky appendages which, seen thegither, gie the characteristic appearance o Auld Man's beard. The gruives alang the stems o C. vitalba can easily be felt when handlin the plant.
The flouers o this species are eaten bi the larvae o mochs includin The V-Pug an Double-striped Pug an the leaves bi Willow Beauty.
C. vitalba has a preference for base rich alkaline soils an moist climate wi wairm simmers
In the UK it is a native plant an is and common throughoot Ingland sooth o a line frae the River Mersey an the River Humber. It an aa commonly occurs in soothren, Eastren an northren Wales. Ootside o these auries it is widely plantit an occurs as far north as the soothren hielands o Scotland.[1]
Clematis vitalba wis uised tae mak rope durin the Stone Age in Swisserland.[2] In Slovenie, the stems o the plant wur uised for weavin baskets for ingans an an aa for bindin crops.[3] It wis particularly uiseful for bindin sheaves o grain acause mice dae nae gnaw on it.[4]
Clematis vitalba (an aa kent as Auld man's beard an Traveller's Joy) is a shrub o the Ranunculaceae faimily.
