Clematis have fairly few pests or diseases but they do suffer from the dreaded clematis wilt and it can be devastating. A plant that is growing great and ready to flower one day, is almost dead the next. All the leaves go black and the flower buds wilt. So much for this season.
Clematis wilt was first reported in 1885 and we have been trying to understand it ever since. A lot of progress has been made, but even today it is not fully understood. Some believe it is caused by a fungus, and others believe it is a watering issue. Confounding the whole thing is the fact that many gardeners think they have clematis wilt when in fact they don’t.
In this post will summarize what we know and don’t know about clematis wilt, and in the process help gardeners better understand the culture of this fantastic plant.
