Turning brown

18 years ago

The bottoms of my clematis plants are turning brown. The tops are okay but the browness is spreading progressively up the plant.

We've been getting sufficient water and I have Johnny-Jump-Ups planted en-mass at the base of the plants to keep them cool. But we are having a heat wave and storms. Is that it?

They had a little bit of browning last year but not like this. They're getting pretty ugly.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

nckvilledudes
18 years ago
What clematis is this happening to? Some clematis naturally lose their lower leaves as they mature (especially the type IIs). It can happen to the type IIIs in severe heat conditions. Here in NC we are experiencing plenty of heat and no rain and I have noticed the same thing happening to various clematis. If the plants are finished blooming, why not just whack them back severely so they can put out new foliage from near the base and your problem will likely be solved unless there is some disease responsible for the defoliation.
ms_minnamouse
Original Author
18 years ago
They're "Confetti" and "Arctic Queen".
Related Professionals
Plymouth Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Salt Lake City Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Brunswick Design-Build Firms · Topeka Design-Build Firms · Covington Design-Build Firms · Monroe Design-Build Firms · Auburn Design-Build Firms · Newburyport Design-Build Firms · Kearney Design-Build Firms · Clearlake Design-Build Firms · Riverside Design-Build Firms · Juneau Design-Build Firms · Medford Design-Build Firms · Portland Design-Build Firms · Sarnia Design-Build Firms
nckvilledudes
18 years ago
Artic Queen is a type II so I am not surprised about the brown leaves on her. Most of the type IIs in my garden brown out in the heat of the summer and I end up chopping them back, keeping them watered (if possible with all the heat and lack of rain) and they normally reflower for me late in the season.

Confetti is a type III and I am going to guess, since we are experiencing the same weather conditions except we are not getting any rain, that the extreme heat is affecting the plant. Not sure how long the plant has been in the ground and what growing conditions you are growing it in, but I would cut it back also and see how the newer vines do. I have several integrifolias that are losing their lower leaves and once they are finished blooming I am going to whack them back to get new vines.
ms_minnamouse
Original Author
18 years ago
Both have been in the ground for about three years now. I got them full grown and in bloom, potted. Great finds at a fair! I can't wait until this year's!

Should I wait until they finish flowering to cut them back? Do you think planting in part sun would affect the amount of flowering? I love the flowering they're doing in full sun but the foliage is icky.
nckvilledudes
18 years ago
In my garden, the type IIs I have are generally in full sun. I don't know if planting them on the eastern side of the house, where they would get some protection from the hot afternoon sun, would help with the browning out that goes on with them or not since I have not tried that. Since those two plants have been in the ground so long, why not get another type II that you want and plant it in an easterly exposure and see if that helps it.

When to cut them back is entirely up to you. If you want to enjoy the blooms and then cut them back, that should be fine. If the browned out leaves bother you, cut them back now. It won't really matter one way or the other--it's really just your choice.