Last year, I planted Arctic Queen. A few weeks later, it wilted, then turned brown. I cut it off just below the surface of the ground, and left it alone. It sprang up again later in the summer, but without any blooms.
This Spring, it came up looking very strong and healthy. It climbed halfway up the trellis, put out one big beautiful bud, and then........ it WILTED AGAIN.
What can I do about this? I have 3 other clematis growing and they are all doing fine. It's just this one that can't seem to make it past mid-June.
Should I dig it up and plant a new one?
Should I cut it off and leave it alone again?
How can I prevent this from happening over and over again?
Thanks so much!
Wilt.... AGAIN.
'Arctic Queen' is an early flowering Group 2 Clematis. Clematis Wilt is a fungal disease that affects a lot of Group 2 vines. It's best to cut back your Clematis and discard the affected vines in the trash. Don't compost them! As Clematis mature, they do get stronger to fight off this disease. Spraying with an anti-fungal agent helps as well. Planting disease resistant varieties, such as Group 3 - viticellas and ones that have viticella parentage are the best to grow in ones garden. Only you can decide if you wish to continue taking care of this Clematis or replace it with a more resistant one.
Thanks for the info! I definitely want *this* one. lol.... I have three other Group 2s growing and none of them have problems with wilt. Just this one. I'll cut it down (again!) and next time I see growth I'm going to start spraying it.
Isn't it said that pruning group 2's can outgrow wilt by year 3?.I'm of the school that the "wilt" is probably caused by the clematis having too immature rootsystem to sustain it's vines.....I would definitely give it another year!!..goodluck..Jeanne
Don't give up !!! I remember feeling so discouraged when mine wilted "again" - but this year (3 is the magic #) NO Wilt yip yip yipeeeee.
This is good news. I have had my first wilt this year. I don't know if the plant will come back or not, but I cut it to the ground. I hope to plant another non-group2 clematis before too long, but most of the ones at the nursery are group 2. I guess I can order another one bareroot in the spring.
You can always order Clematis on-line directly from the nurseries. They would have a much wider selection than a local nursery can carry. Check out the Garden Watchdog for their names. http://davesgarden.com/gwd/advanced.php?state=xx&country=XX&category=7&search_text=&sorter=rating&submit=Search
This message was edited Jun 24, 2007 8:49 PM
I just ordered 2 very red group 3 clematis. If my group 2 clematis comes back, that will be good, but this way I will have at least 1 replacement for my wilting group 2. Thanks for the info.
I have not seen my clematis "wilt" but it is like all of a sudden it is black and dead. Is this wilt and I have just missed seeing the wilting part?
happgarden,
Sounds like it, unless you poured something toxic on it, it wilted. But at least you know it will probably come back. It takes several days to go through the process of wilting and dieing. It must be where you don't see it everyday. Mine is right by my back door so I see it often and caught on to what was happening well before it got to the dying part. I was thrilled to hear that they usually come back.
As a consolation my Jackmani Superba ( group 3) which has been in the round for only about 1 year, now has several buds. And Group 3 apparently doesn't get wilt.
Love DG's I have learned so much so quickly. I thought they were just goners. Interesting fact about the 3's. I have a jackmani that has been in the ground 20 years.