The flowers of golden clematis are yellow and bell-shaped with four petals. They initially point downward before opening into a kind of lantern. The petals can feel like lemon peel and are often silky hairy on the inside.
The flowers appear from midsummer to fall and are followed by immature seed heads with a greenish, smooth, and glossy appearance (see today’s photograph). They will develop over time into attractive, fluffy seed heads that add ornamental interest to the plant through autumn and winter.