# Old man's beard (*Clematis vitalba*)

Old man's beard is a climbing plant with fluffy white flowers that look like soft beards! It grows on walls, trees, and fences, making nature look beautiful.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas
- **Also known as:** Traveller's Joy

![Old man's beard](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Clematis-vitalba-Waldrebe%28Samenstand%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Michael Gasperl ( Migas ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clematis-vitalba-Waldrebe%28Samenstand%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Old man's beard is a vigorous, woody climbing vine with light green leaves. It has small, greenish-white flowers in summer, which transform into distinctive fluffy, silvery-white seed heads resembling an old man's beard.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Ranunculales
- **Family:** Ranunculaceae
- **Genus:** Clematis

## Interesting facts

- It's sometimes called "Traveller's Joy" because it often grows along ancient travel routes!
- Its fluffy seed heads look like an old man's white beard, giving it its memorable common name!
- Rubbing fresh leaves on skin can cause a burning sensation, used historically as a blistering agent!
- This vine can grow so fast, it can completely cover fences, trees, and buildings in one season!

## Special abilities

- **Grappling Grip:** Old man's beard can climb high using its leaf stalks as tendrils, twisting around supports to reach sunlight.
- **Wind Whisperer:** This plant has fluffy, feathery seed tails that help its seeds catch the wind and travel far from the parent plant.
- **Smothering Star:** Old man's beard grows very quickly, forming dense mats of foliage that can cover and shade out other plants below it.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 300-3000 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1.5-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer-autumn
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from flowers
- **Shelter:** [Blackcap](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blackcap) (*Sylvia atricapilla*) — uses dense tangles for nesting and cover
- **Depends on:** Common hawthorn (*Crataegus monogyna*) — can be smothered by vigorous growth
- **Eats:** Gypsy moth (*Lymantria dispar*) — caterpillars feed on its leaves

## Traits

- [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots.
- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Don't touch the plant without asking an adult, as some parts can be irritating.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Old man's beard?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Old man's beard?

300-3000 cm

### How big are the flowers on Old man's beard?

1.5-3 cm

### When does Old man's beard bloom?

Summer-autumn

### Is Old man's beard edible?

No

### Is Old man's beard toxic?

Mild

### What is Old man's beard's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Old man's beard pollinated?

Insect

## Where to spot

- [Leschi Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/leschi-park) — Washington, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Old man's beard: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/old-mans-beard)