Clematis ligusticifolia / western white clematis

Adjectives: interesting bits, native, riparian

Also known as: old-man’s beard, yerba de chiva, virgin’s bower (none of these are unique), creek clematis, creekside virgin’s bower, deciduous traveler’s-joy
See also: Clematis occidentalis / purple clematis

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White clematis is widespread in the west, especially in canyons, in streamside thickets, or on moist, wooded hillsides. On the other hand, it can also occur in non-wetlands… even in sagebrush deserts. In the “Valley”, most broadly speaking, it is plentiful on the road up to the Palisades trail head.

Like the majority of other Clematis spp. this one is a climbing vine. While it can get up to 60 feet high, in actuality it depends on how tall its supporting structure/plant is. However, it may also grow along the ground. It is semi-evergreen.

Western white clematis has clusters of white flowers, about 1″ across, which arise from the leaf axils; male and female flowers are (usually)  on separate plants. Flowering is late in the summer and the fruits ripen well into October. The flowers lack petals but have four showy sepals. Female flowers have numerous sterile stamens, so they look like they’re complete. The fruits are silky, feathery achenes in clusters, hence the common name, “old man’s beard” (see the gallery photo). I do not take this personally.

The leaves are oppositely arranged and pinnately compound with 5 to 7 (or more) leaflets. Both lobed and unlobed, smooth edged and coarsely toothed leaflets may be present. Once the leaflets are shed, the petioles and rachises (a.k.a. rachides) persist, acting like tendrils.

White Clematis attracts bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies as pollinators. The dense canopy also provides cover for rodents and small birds. The latter nest in the thicket of tangled vines. The fluffy seed heads are used to line nests.

Interesting bits – this plant was called “pepper vine” by early travelers in the west who used it as a substitute for black pepper. However, this isn’t really a great idea because like the rest of the genus Clematis, it contains essential oils and compounds which are extremely irritating to the skin and mucous membranes and cause internal bleeding of the digestive tract if ingested in large amounts. On the other hand, black pepper and capsicum in large quantities can do the same or worse.

Historically, the seed floss was used by native peoples as tinder, as insulation in shoes, and as an absorbent in baby diapers. The stems were useful for making carrying nets and bow strings. Roots can be ground to make a shampoo.