The Clematis vitalba is a plant that will smother the rest of your plants if given permission. The flowers are lovely, yet it presents problems in nature. It grows rapidly, forming dense, heavy, masses that dominate canopy of any height. Stems layer profusely, and it produces many long-lived seeds if exposed to frost. Tolerant of cold, moderate shade, damp, wind, salt, most soil types, and damage. Seed is spread by water or wind, and both seed and stem fragments are spread in dumped vegetation.