Anyone ever experience this? I had two species clematis disappear almost overnight with blackened foliage (it looks burned). I am assuming it is clematis wilt - definitely it is some bacteria disease - the foliage looked just like fire blight that you get on apple trees. From what I read there is a chance they will come back from the roots but I havent seen anything yet and its been 3 weeks. Maybe next year? I took my Clematis pitcheri and Clematis texensis vines. For some reasons the others didn't get it.
Clematis Wilt
Many or most clematis growers have had it happen and professional growers suffer through it, too.
I would remove all foliage, all diseased/dead/blackened/dying leaves and vines: do not compost them - destroy them or else they can spread the problem. Cut back the foliage to the ground if that is what is needed to eliminate all dead vines. Feed it with Epsom Salt (1 to 2 tablespoons in a gallon of tepid water). It should bounce back in a few weeks.
How deeply did you plant it originally?
Sounds like maybe they'll come back then. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I will do the epsom salt feeding. I removed the foliage previously. The plants have been there for several years so I don't really remember how deep I put them.
I find it so weird that other clematis plants in my garden didn't get it. Can hummingbirds spread it? These were the two vines they seemed to like the most.
Thanks
I always thought of hummingbirds as hovering birds as they sip the nectar. I have no idea if they can spread it.
Are the plants in a damp area? Mine that are in damp areas get wilt but those in full sun don't.
No both were in full sun, although one of them was under the roof line of the garage so probably picked up more moisture that way. Anyway I hope this is the last time I get it. You wait all year for them to flower and look nice and then a rotten old fungus steals them :(
We all want any wilt to be the very last wilt in our garden!
Good luck, grik! Keep us updated as to what happens.
grik, the new Omoshiro that I planted this spring wilted once the first bloom opened and then died back to the ground. I was frantic that the one clematis that I really wanted had died. I followed pirl's advice, and within a few weeks I saw new growth. Omoshiro is now blooming once again. Don't give up!
Hurray! Thanks, Doris.
Don't give up if you don't see new shoots in a couple of weeks. Sometimes clematis will take longer to show up. Water like you normally would if the plant was there all green and nice. It is not unusual for a clematis to die back to the ground and then not show up until the following year.
Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I'll keep it watered and hope for the best.