Niobe is probably the darkest colored flower of all of the clematis. When the flower first opens, it is a very rich chocolatey dark red, kind of like hot fudge. The color gets lighter over time but still remains quite dark, though more on the magenta side. When the sun hits the petals at just the right angle, the color is indescribable.

I’m not quite sure why this clematis is called Niobe. In mythology, Niobe was the queen of Thebes, whose fourteen children were slain by Apollo and Artemis. Overcome by the tragedy, Niobe wept until she turned into a column of stone from which her tears continued to flow, forming a stream. She became the symbol of eternal mourning.

Does anyone see the connection here?