Clematis Montana

Guernsey Donkey2

I thought my clematis Montana was evergreen, but the leaves dropped in the autumn and now it looks like this.  No new shoots or greenery showing. Is this normal, or is it dead?  It was planted last summer as a thriving plug plant that just kept on growing into this intricate jumble of branches.

Fairygirl

It should suddenly sprout from all those dead bits GD. You'll get little green buds miraculously appearing at the stem joints, although I'd have thought you might have some by now. Perhaps it's not too lively after all 

Has it got a bit dry in that pot? It won't like that. 

Redwing

Quite normal for now.  By May it will be covered in flowers but it really needs to be in the ground as Verdun says.

Richard Hodson

Scratch with your nail in one of the leaf axils, the joint where the new bud will form, see if it is green under the bark, if so it is OK.  Which montana is it ?

Guernsey Donkey2

Thanks for the reassurances. I don't think it has been underwatered, but if it doesn't come green as Richard has described, then that could possibly the cause of it looking dead.  It is a Montana Rubins, and I purposely positioned it on our back patio so that it may eventually leave the trellis and spread along the wall.

I was planning on buying a second one to climb another trellis in the front of the house, but will wait to see the outcome of this one first.

Richard Hodson

Clematis montana var.rubens has hardly any scent, montana var rubens Odorata ( as the name suggests ) has much stronger perfume

Dovefromabove

Verdun, you may remember that on your recommendation I planted a C. montana grandiflora about three years ago ........ I have not been disappointed - lovely large blooms and scent.