Purple Clematis

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score

0

Native Status

✅ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON

Closest Direction

Local

CEC Eco-Regions

5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians

Rarity Notes

Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Ranked S4 (Apparently Secure) in Ontario and SNR (Not Ranked) in Quebec. Globally secure (G5). Although widespread across North America, it is regarded as rare throughout much of the east, and most populations are quite small. Listed as Sparse in the 1978 Ottawa-Hull flora.

S22 S26 S61 S63

Rarity Ranks

QC SNR – Not Ranked, ON S4 – Apparently Secure

Migration

Stable

Ecological Context

A vine of dry to mesic rocky forests, talus slopes, ledges, and forest edges, typically on calcareous or rocky substrates. In the Outaouais region it inhabits mixed and deciduous woodland on shield rock outcrops and riverine embankments. Often found climbing on Abies balsamea, Populus grandidentata, and shrub thickets in semi-open canopy gaps. Prefers drier, more upland conditions than the common Clematis virginiana.

S7 S61 S48

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles

Fortress/Barrier, Pollinator Attractor

S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 4 bee associations (threshold=3)]

Medicinal Properties

ℹ

Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.

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Category

Veterinary Aid

S28 Blackfoot Drug: Veterinary Aid (diuretic for horses)

Notes

Blackfoot ethnobotanical use: infusion of plant given to horses as a diuretic. Also used ceremonially by the Blackfoot to remove 'ghost bullets' (leaves boiled and applied) and flowers worn by children as spiritual protection. One Drug and two Other (ceremonial) uses recorded by Moerman.

S28

Edibility & Foraging

ℹ

Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.

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❌ Not Edible   

Foraging Notes

No food uses recorded. Moerman lists only Drug and Other (ceremonial) uses by the Blackfoot. All parts are reported as poisonous with irritant properties.

S28 S4

Toxicity

☠️ High Toxicity

Despite the USDA/Cornell non-listing, LBJ Wildflower Center reports all parts as poisonous with the toxic principle anemonin, causing severe mouth pain, ulcers, and skin irritation upon contact or ingestion. OWSL notes it is toxic to mammals if ingested and causes skin rashes. Ranunculaceae family members commonly contain protoanemonin, a vesicant compound.

S4 S3

Seed Source

• OWSL