"Your Clematis armandii may be suffering from the drought as they do like moisture, like all clematis, but it may also be that the stems are damaged by wind or other action or accident. Healthy shoots will often grow back the following year. are a staple in many flower gardens. Clematis wilt is a fungus disease (Ascochyta clematidina) that is also sometimes referred to as clematis leaf and stem spot. Clematis wilt causes the foliage and stems of your clematis vine to dry and whither, possibly even turning them black. What should I do? I'm wondering if the old iron wheel that I put the clematis in and around had anything to do with it. The larger flowered varieties are most susceptible, while some of the smaller flowering varieties, like Clematis alpina and Clematis viticella, show better resistance. Like most fungal diseases, it is more prevalent during damp or humid weather. When clematis vines are thick, tangled, and remain wet well into the day, they are at increased risk for the disease. Sweet autumn clematis is suitable for USDA zones 5 to 10, where it requires a bright, sunny location and moist, well draining soil. Clematis wilt causes the foliage and stems of your clematis vine to dry and whither, possibly even turning black. Clematis Vine Stems Turning Brown. Question From: N. King - Newfoundland, New Jersey, United States . Clematis wilt is caused by a fungus that produces reddish lesions on the stems; causing foliage above the lesions to suddenly wither. Question From: F. Quinn - Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, United States . With their vigorous growth habit and generous bloom period, clematis plants (Clematis spp.) Clematis Vine Leaves Turn Brown And Brittle After Bloom. This may also be the area where the spores over-winter. Destroy infected growth so it does not contaminate healthy plants. One day your clematis vine is thriving and ready to flower, the next it’s withering before your eyes. Initially, you may start to see reddish lesions along the stems, but the onset and spread of clematis wilt can be quick. The Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends cutting off all infected parts, even if that means cutting the plant all the way down to the ground. The best you can do is keep your plant in good health, prune appropriately for your type of clematis, and be on the alert for any signs of the disease. I transplanted it this early summer to a new location. But it comes back every year. I transplanted this clematis in spring 2015 from my parents house. The stem rots, leading to a physical collapse of the vine. Wishhart holds a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts and English literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Slugs and snails are also common pests of clematis leaves. I have a Nelly Moser clematis that is over 10 years old. To give your clematis the best chance of surviving clematis wilt, cut the affected stems back to ground level at the first sign of withering or drying. What happened? Symptoms include wilted, darkened leaves and stems, as well as plant dieback. I pruned it back, removing all leaves and a lot of the vine stems. Dispose of the cuttings rather than composting them. Clematis Wilt. These diseases are not necessarily a death sentence, and improving cultural conditions may help you cure the plant. Keep water off the leaves, because wet leaves can encourage fungal development. Phymatotrichopsis and Phytophthora root rots may cause clematis to wilt and decline. Clementis Wilt. Once affected, the plant begins to die back because the fungus cuts off its vascular system and no water can be carried through the plant. Depending on the cultivar, clematis is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 11. It sounds drastic, but it can save your plant. If the young leaves appear distorted or torn and are full of small, brown-edged holes then the likely culprits may be capsid bugs. It is absolutely beautiful for a week or two, then the plant starts to turn brown and the petals get brown spots and fall off. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. It get morning sun and is mulched with wood shavings. The problem is as soon as they get to their best they start dying from the bottom up. Water it regularly to keep the soil moist, but do not let it become waterlogged or flooded. I noticed the leaves turning first to black around the outside edges then to brown and wilt up and die back to the main stem. The fungus can easily overwinter in the dead foliage. Then the leaves at the bottom are turning brown and dying completely, and the leaves throughout the plant are getting brown, starting at the tips and spreading through the leaf. To help the plant recover, Penn State Extension recommends removing infected leaves as they appear and pruning to increase air circulation. Q: Parts of my clamatis vine stems are turning brown and look to be dying off..... your clematis has a fungal disease called clematis wilt. I have three beautiful clematis that grow up and over a large trellis. It did great this summer, had lots of flowers and grew 7-8 feet high. I have watered in regularly and fertilized every now and again throughout the summer, mostly with miracle-grow and a couple times with epsom salt-water. Keep the clematis roots watered even if there is no top growth. Clematis Is Beautiful, Then Turns Brown. Clematis wilt is a common fungal disease that infects clematis vines. Michelle Wishhart is a writer based in Portland, Ore. She has been writing professionally since 2005, starting with her position as a staff arts writer for City on a Hill Press, an alternative weekly newspaper in Santa Cruz, Calif. An avid gardener, Wishhart worked as a Wholesale Nursery Grower at Encinal Nursery for two years. Only plant clematis in well draining soil. A number of insect pests will feed on clematis leaves and damage them, including earwigs and the caterpillars of various moths. If you identify the problem and act quickly, you'll increase the chances that your plant will recover. Royal Horticultural Society: Clematis Wilt, How to Get Rid of a Disease on My Black-Eyed Susans. The good news is that clematis plants can recover from wilt because it does not attack their root system.