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Clematis Montana Marjorie looking sad

Pam100Pam100 Posts: 85
I think it’s died. It was in leaf a few weeks ago but they have all shrivelled up now. It should be coming into flower about this time. Should I prune it hard back or leave it?  So upset 😥😥

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Can we see it from further away?
    They can certainly be cut back hard to rejuvenate them, but it may simply be that the new foliage has been hit by cold weather. They're only just starting to flower here, but if you're normally flowers earlier, and it's been in growth for several weeks, that's a strong possibility.
    They normally flower before the foliage grows, or sometimes they happen together. It depends on your climate and location. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • VoyagerxpVoyagerxp Posts: 651
    edited April 2023
    My Montana has done the same,it started to put on new leaves last month but now seems to be losing them. Its my favorite clematis and always flowers great, what should i do?.

    Last Month



    Now



    Last Year



  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    I have a couple of montana that have gone like that - started sprouting leaves then shrivelled. One looks dead now, the other is re-sprouting vigorously from the base and I guess will regrow fine. I'm going to remove and replace the former.

    In my case I assume last year's drought was the cause. I have 2 other montanas that are fine, but they are in much shadier spots.


  • Pam100Pam100 Posts: 85
    This is it from further away. I think I’m going to have to cut my losses and cut it back. Is it best to do it now?  I’m the same borgadr, I have other montanas in the garden that are flowering beautifully. 
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    My 2 montanas in Norfolk have done the same thing but they are growing new shoots low down now. I'll wait a bit then remove all the dead.  It has happened quite a lot this year. There have been several threads about it on this forum. They are very hardy so I think the heat and drought last year are probably the cause. 
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    @pam100 I'm not expert enough to advise you, but for what it's worth I've cut mine back. In my mind I prefer it to put all its energy into the new growth from the base rather than futile attempts trying to sprout from the nearly-dead existing structure.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Don’t give up, I have a Montana that has grown up a tree for 20years. 3 years ago it just appeared to die, but last year it suddenly grew again, and this year it is fine.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    Our clematis Marjorie did the same.
    I think although they are considered hardy if a frost hits the new growths before they harden it damages them, but not the whole plant.
    I have now cut ours back and we have a few new leaves.
    I am a little gutted as it is a very small newish plant we have grown on from a little liner and it was doing well and looking good.
    We had some nice weather then a frost just at the wrong time.
    Hopefully it will spring back.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - if you had the drought conditions @Pam100 , followed by the awkward winter spells, it just gets plants a bit out of synch with their normal growth habit. 
    Many clematis can fail and look like they're dead, and can then come back to life as if by magic due to their normal way of growing. I think it'll be fine once conditions suit it again. I can see what looks like a new bud in that first pic [from 1st May] and some fresh growth in the 2nd, although it could be something else - hard to see.
    I think yours will be fine too @Voyagerxp - it's just had the  new growth hit at the wrong time.
    I have a fairly new Group 3 clem [bought last year] which has been hit twice because it produced new growth in early autumn due to mild weather which was then hit in December. It produced more early this year due to very mild late winter conditions and got hit again in March. That back and forth weather has made it difficult for many plants, when they would normally just slow down as weather gets colder in September/October. It's got new growth coming through at the base though, so should be fine. If it's not the slugs eating the new stems, it's weather! 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pam100Pam100 Posts: 85
    Thanks for all your comments and advice. Hopefully all our Montanas will live to see another day 😁
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