For the past three years, my clematis plant has done horribly. It is on a porch garden, and every time I express my disappointment in it ("I just don't think it's doing well in a pot! I'm going to off it." ) Someone overhears me and tells me to just give it another year, and that they need to get established. Well, it's dying again, and I'm yearning to have a lush, vigorous vines growing up my east facing wall. Does anyone have a suggestion for a fast growing, lush climber that might get somewhere by August? Maryska
Maybe? Goes all brown and dead looking, starting at the bottom of the plant and moves slowly up, while growing new leaves and vines at the top. really ugly.
Clematis wilt is whole stems blighting suddenly, all the way to the top. Sounds like you are describing the usual accumulation of dead older leaves seen on large-flowered clematis. If yours is a type such as 'Jackmanii' that flowers from July onward entirely on new shoots of the same year, you can clear the whole mess away late winter-early spring of each year, start it over from short stems. If, on the other hand it is an intermediate type that flowers partly on new shoots and partly on shoots coming from older stems, then successful pruning of it will also be intermediate in nature. If you can't judge where yours fits by observing how it grows when not pruned then you have to know the cultivar, look up which pruning group it falls into.
If you don't insist on flowers this year here are two great choices Lonicera henryii (evergreen, very vigorous, unscented flowers) Lonicera periclymenum (Late Dutch Honeysuckle ), deciduous, very vigorous, fragrant but almost finished flowering for this year
Late Dutch = L. periclymenum 'Serotina', currently covered in still opening flower heads at my place. And I expect it to keep blooming for some time yet. You can tell it by the red coloring in the flowers and the purplish foliage. Another good one is L. periclymenum 'Graham Thomas'. This has the typical appearance of the species but has a longer total bloom time - it was originally noticed and collected as a wild plant blooming in September. L. periclymenum 'Monul' offers a good fruit display but mildews badly in pots at garden centers here.
Mine is L. periclymenum 'Graham Thomas'. Green leaves and beautiful cream to saffron yellow flowers. Ron is right, mine is past its peak bloom but still has lots of unopened buds. I don't remember flowers in September, but I'm not actually sure when it finishes blooming. Unlike its predecessor L. 'Goldflame', this one has been virtually pest free.
