Different clematis will grow at different rates but generally speaking clematis are sleep, creap, leap plants meaning that they are slow to establish but take off after becoming established. Your 4 inch potted plant from Parkseed was probably a small plant to begin with and should have been pruned back on planting and then after it developed 3 to 5 sets of leaves to help cause branching. If it flowered a lot, this took a lot out of the plant so it is recuperating now as it should and establishing its root system. If it were my plant I would cut it back so that you have 3 or 4 sets of leaves on each branch. Sounds drastic but the plant will develop new branch buds in the leaf axils and put out more branches. These new branches will have more leaves to allow the plant to photosynthesize nutrients which will be beneficial to the plant. Clematis are not immediate gratification plants.

Thank you nckvilledudes, again. You keep coming to my rescue with all my silly newbie questions!

I'll wait until it gets a little cooler out today and do as you recommended. And then I'll try to be patient!

Dee

They do take off like passiflora but it takes them several years to get to that point. ;) Some are a lot smaller when mature than others too.

Park sends tiny starts. I know this from experience. Mine are still tiny from last year. I'm not buying Clems from them again. Even on sale they aren't worth it. IMHO.

Here's a picture of my poor little Clematis Ruutel after I pruned it back. It does seem to be getting some more stems and leaves ever since I did it. The picture is looking down at the plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis Ruutel pruned way back

I've got Clems from Parks that I potted up to gallons last year that don't look that good.

Hi Buyorsell888. Do you mean yours don't look very good or not as good as my little one?

It did have 2 stems that were about 2 feet high but scrawny. And they had stopped blooming. When I first got it and planted it, it bloomed like crazy.

Thanks for your info about Parks by the way. I've realized not to buy from them anymore. I also bought a Geranium Rozanne the same time I bought my Ruutel and it's already dead. It had some beautifully colored lavender flowers before it died.

Thanks!
Dee

Mine don't look as good as yours.

Your little Ruutel looks good for being a baby. Cutting it back was the right thing to do.

Clems need a couple years of doing nothing to get their roots going. Then, they take off. Sleep, Creep and Leap!

Thanks! I just received a new clematis that I ordered from one of the suggested Nursery's. It's called a Florida Siebold. It has a lot of leaves at the base and hasn't started climbing yet.

Do I have to prune it? I'll try to get a picture of it tomorrow. It looks pretty healthy but not so big.

Thanks,
Dee

I pinch or prune all newly planted Clems to encourage branching. And to set them back so the roots can develop. If they have flowers when I buy them, I don't prune them until after they bloom.

Florida sieboldii is a type III so should be hard pruned every spring for sure.

Here's a picture of my Florida Sieboldii. It's looking really healthy. I know I need to get it planted into a container or in the ground soon but I haven't been feeling well and it's just so darn hot!

Do I really have to prune it now or can I wait until Spring?

Anyhow, here it is:
{{gwi:613759}}
By dgarrand, shot with PDRM5 at 2007-08-05

What do you think? Anybody?

Thanks,
Dee

That is too small to prune but you can pinch out the growing tips on all of the vines and they will then each produce two.