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Clematis slime flux

JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
in Plants
Oh dear... spotted my big Montana marjorie has the dreaded slime flux. Its an old one of about 10years and it has thick woody stems, it fell off its trellis so im sure its got in from damage. Ive cut out the infected bits and stripped the oozy bark bits out to try and create airflow and dry it out out to help. Anyone successfully managed to save one, or any tips for fighting it?

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited March 2023
    Not something I've ever had on any clematis @JessicaS, so I can't help, but my reply will bump your query up and someone else might have some advice for you.  :)


    RHS has this advice though
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/clematis-slime-flux


    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Not only never had it but never even heard of it so be interesting to see if anyone has some info/advice.  
  • romeshjeyromeshjey Posts: 3
    Hi Jessica,
    I’ve spotted my Clematis Montana (which is 5 years old and woody) has Slime Flux.
    No obvious reason - it could have been frost etc. 
    How is your plant doing? Unfortunately, for mine the slimy area is right at the base of the stem so I can’t cut it away without killing the whole plant. 
    The clematis hasn’t produced more than a few leaves and most have died. Anyone have any ideas? 
    I understand it’s almost certainly unsavable but would like to try!
    Many thanks.
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    We lost three mature Montana to this a few years ago. Unfortunately like @romeshjey all of ours ours had it right at the very base of the stem and the start of the root ball. If it’s higher the RHS, says that the clematis can be saved. The slime flux isn’t a disease in the plant, it’s bacteria entering damaged stems so logically if you can cut it all away the plant will hopefully regrow.


     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If you click on the link I gave earlier, it has info there @romeshjey  :)

    Jessica may not see your post - if you use the @ and start typing the name, you'll get options of names. Click on the one you want [ie JessicaS] and it goes into your post in bright pink/violet, and that notifies the recipient if they're open to receiving notifications. Like this -  @JessicaS  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
    Thanks all - @romeshjey my plants hanging on, one newer stems clear of it, the rest at the base look really awful and are clearly not savable as the leaves have all shrivelled. I cant cut it out at the moment as we have had Robins nesting in it, and I dont want to disturb them if they return to the same nest to have a second batch as they often do, so I will cut the lot back in summer. Its nearly 10 years old. Im hopeful the roots are fine.
    I will take a pic so people know what to look for. 
  • romeshjeyromeshjey Posts: 3
    Thank you @JessicaS and @Fairygirl

    Glad to hear the plant is surviving. I had a look at the website link previously and as my problem is right at the base, I don’t think anything can be done. I’m just waiting and observing I guess.

    Will probably cut back to the soil level but as you can see from the oic I’ll post below, it’s right at the soil level.
  • romeshjeyromeshjey Posts: 3
    Thanks @Butterfly66

    Did you replant any new clematis in place of the old ones? 
  • VoyagerxpVoyagerxp Posts: 651
    My Montana has there same slime but at the base and up the main stems, does this mean its a gonner. I'd never heard of slime flux until i looked and here. I took a cutting last year that is doing ok but this sucks.


  • JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
    This is mine, what a mess :(  @Voyagerxp yes thats slime flux. All you can do is clear away the mess and cut back the dead bits. Summer heat should help dry it up, and it might resprout. I had a montana van reubens thsts survived the total chop like this. 

    Wont affect others, mines next to 4 other clematis, 2 of which are montana and 0 issues

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