Native or Invasive Clematis?  Check the leaves!
The native virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) is in full bloom in Indiana from August to September, looking like a blanket of white flowers  spread over other vegetation.  After blooming, numerous pistils with feathery styles give the fruit a fluffy appearance.  It’s a fairly common species throughout the state in open areas and forest edges.  

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This is a good time to double check populations you see to make sure it’s really  the native virgin’s bower, and not the invasive sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora).  The flowers look pretty much the same as virgin’s bower, so you have to look at the leaves to tell which is which.  The native Clematis has teeth on the leaves; the invasive Clematis has no teeth on the leaves.

The native Clematis virginiana has teeth on its leaflets.

The non-native Clematis terniflora has no teeth on its leaflets.

So far there are very few reports of the invasive Clematis terniflora in Indiana, though there are several sites in the
Indianapolis area.  It may be that there are more sites, but that people are assuming by the flowers that it is the native Clematis.  Please take a look at the leaves the next time you see this white-flowered vine.

If you find the invasive Clematis, please report it at Report IN so we all know about it.