What's happened to my clematis?

Harriet.

Hi everyone. I have a clematis armandii growing against a trellis. It's east/west facing. You can see from the picture that the leaves are going brown and are drying out. Is this clematis wilt? It's not started from the bottom - some of the leaves at the bottom seem unaffected. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks. 

Obelixx

Generally speaking it's the large-flowered group 2 clematis that get wilt, not the evergreens or other group 1s.

Looks more like thirst to me.

Lizzie27

Mine's gone like that too in places. It's been very dry here for weeks so I probably haven't watered it enough. I understand Armandii leaves are very prone to going brown and dying very untidily, they don't just drop off. 

Papi Jo

I've had 2 specimens of Clematis armandii die on me with the infamous clematis wilt. I'll never grow C. armandii again.

Fairygirl

Can you offer more info and photos @Harriet. ?  
Is it in the ground? It certainly looks like it's dehydrated from the pic. If it's a young, or newly planted specimen, they need a bit of attention until well established. 

Are you sure it was wilt @Papi Jo? I haven't heard of that being susceptible. 

Harriet.

Thanks everyone. It's in a large pot, partly because I don't have any easily accessible soil on the side of the garden, and also to help control it's spread, so I probably haven't watered it enough. @Fairygirl - I've had it less than a year so probably haven't given it the attention it deserves! The roots are shaded, as I know that clematis prefer that. Here are some more photos. Is it salvageable? 

Fairygirl

It won't be very happy there - if it survives.  Wrong plant for a pot. 
If you cut it back, get it into some decent soil, and make sure it's watered,  it might be ok for a while. 
A large pot is always debateable - what I call large isn't what others would call large.
It would need a container of around 60cm/2feet in each direction to be much good. 
The shading thing is also a bit misleading, but I won't go into that just now 

Dovefromabove

Also what sort of compost is it in?

Ordinary multi-purpose isn’t suitable for long term planting of shrubs and climbers. I would use John Innes No 3 loam-based compost with the addition of a few handfuls of multipurpose mixed in to lighten it a bit. 

😊 

Obelixx

These things grow huge and are hungry and thirsty so a pot is not a good home for it.  Water it thoroughly now so the root ball is completely moistened and keep it moist but not sodden.  Rainfall is never enough for plants in pots.

Assuming it recovers, give it the biggest pot you can, minimum 60cms all round or, better still, build it a 1m cube with treated wood.  The compost needs to be John Innes no 3 loam based with up to 20% multi purpose to help with moisture retention.  

It will need an annual feed every spring with slow release fertiliser for roses or tomatoes plus regular watering and occasional liquid feeds of rose or tomato fertiliser.