Ruth, mine stayed green all winter with no signs of freeze damage. It was planted in the ground spring 2017 so this was its first winter. I hope it blooms this year.

There's a tendency to be hardy to somewhere around 15 degrees F. Also it being a clematis is should be planted in good soil that does not get hot around the base of the plant. And this is a vigorous, rather large growing climber that throws out bursts of long shoots growing increments of feet, if not yards all at once - a hospital in my area has a multi-story building with an open frame on one side, which evergreen clematis has climbed pretty much all the way to the top. Otherwise when planted on too small of a support, not kept diligently pruned and trained into an open fan shape it soon forms a tangled mound of shoots and leaves, with persistent old dead leaves visible underneath.

Linda, what kind of support are you using? I would have to use the fence or an old swing set. Not sure how good that would work.

Mine is on an iron obelisk trellis that is about 5 feet tall. I may need to re-think that situation because it has outgrown the trellis. There is a tree next to the trellis so maybe I could stretch out some shoots and get them to attach to the tree so it won't be wrapping around itself.

Yeah, that sort of support is far too small for C. armandii. This is one of the larger growing species clematis and 25-30' is not uncommon. I have one growing into the top of a 40' horsechestnut tree. And cascading down from the top. This is a BIG vine :-))