Many leaves on my treasured clematis armandii are browning from the tip. Some leaves are half brown, others all brown, some just the tips. This is only the second yr I've had it and I can't remember if this happened last year. It is still putting out a good bit of new growth tho .
What do you think? Is this normal? Or maybe it's the drought?
Thanks,
Sherry
Problem with Clematis armandii
Sherry..It most probably is from not enough water..you might find this an interesting read:
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/clematis/faq3.htm#jgq1
Quote from Jon and Ruth Gooch, Great Britain.
"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. It is also quite common for a part of an armandii to suffer from its leaves turning brown. There is a theory that this is a virus based problem, but no real proof is available.
Cutting it back is the only option and I would do this now so that there is a chance it will produce new shoots before it goes into winter dormancy. Even thick stems can shoot out, but I would leave a foot or so of stem above ground to be on the safe side. Once pruned, give it a feed of tomato or rose food to encourage it back to life. It may not shoot out this year, but do not give up, it may surprise you next year and re-appear after you've forgotten about it - ours did and it is 10 feet tall now. '
firstyard,
Mine also started doing that and I had to really pump up the water for it this summer. If the browning is not too severe, I don't know if I would cut it back. I just snipped off the worst leaves and it's done fine. If you plan on trimming it in the early spring, why not leave it alone to get some winter foliage. That is, of course, if it isn't too badly browned. Do you usually cut it back in the spring?
Barbara
Oh, it would kill me to cut it back. I'd be cutting off 10 - 12 ft. of nice green vine. I think I'll take my chances and just clip off the brown leaves. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Thanks!
Sherry
Hello Sherry;
I have some things to add.
Mine did this. It happened during a very windy spell to the older growth. New growth was, for the most part, fine, and only half of each leaflet on the old dried up in order to preserve the other half.
There is drought of roots and drought of leaves, and since mine had plenty of water and mulch, I think it was that the leaves could not be sustained by the roots sending water up fast enough as it was stolen by the dry hot wind (and intense sun). Some trees with similar leaves do this (Sweetgum is one). I have read that Clem. armandii leaves browning from the tip can be an indicator of salt in the soil, but what salt does is cause leaf draught, so salt isn't a proper diagnosis. Not watering it does the same- I've done it to potted plants and found out!
Since what you (and I) have is an indication that the roots cannot support the leaves, we should watch our vines closely- if the drying continues, it is time to clip some old leaves off to unstress the roots. A bigger root system in future should help. I would be afraid to prune it even this early. They seem to need some time to harden off, and a vine that big would try to put out such a tremendous amount of growth that some would surely get killed back.
Remember that as evergreens, they need supplemental water in the winter if it is dry and should have plenty of mulch over the roots to help this. Also covering your vine (like other tender evergreens) with burlap on the coldest or sunniest winter days can hlep. Moist and muched, but not wet. Poke your finger down and see. I hope this helps.
Kenton J.
I will remember to water it this winter if we have a dry spell. Thanks, JamesCO.
I can see how the roots might not be able to support all the leaves. It has grown by leaps and bounds. It is hard to keep it from becoming a tangled mess - and from invading my neighbor's property!
Sherry
You don't have to prune it back..you can just remove the brown leaves or any dead vines....and do as he says...add a bit more soil on top and mulch....Jeanne