Clematis Pest and Disease

CLEMATIS PESTS AND DISEASES
Clematis are remarkably free from pests and diseases. Compare clematis with roses for example and it quickly becomes clear that pound for pound, clematis come out winners every time!

The first rule is to keep the plants healthy and vigorous. This means pruning them each year and keeping their root system moist especially in their first two years.

If your plants do suffer form disease (pest or insect damage is very rare), it will be one of three diseases - clematis wilt, mildew or more rarely slime flux.

CLEMATIS WILT
This is normally only suffered by the large-flowered hybrids.

The symptoms are shoots wilting (normally in early summer), sometimes affecting the entire plant. Eventually the diseased shoots turn brown and hang loosely from the main stems.

The cure is to cut out all affected shoots. If the entire plant is affected, cut it down to ground level. feed the clematis with liquid fertiliser and hope!

MILDEW
The symptoms and cure of mildew in clematis are the same as for all plants suffering from this disease.

Click here for more details of how to cope with this mildew on clematis.

APHIDS
Aphids (greenfly and blackfly) occasionally attack clematis and they are noticeable as small insects especially on the undersides of leaves.

Click here for more details of how to cope with aphids on clematis.

SLIME FLUX
A rare disease with no cure. It can be recognised by a yellowish slimy liquid coming from near the base of the plant. If the plant does not survive, dig it up and burn it. Do not replant clematis on the same site.

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Name: Brian Prout
E-mail: brian.bluedam@btinternet.com
Date posted: October 13, 2011 - 06:08 am
Message: I wish I could attach the photographs to this query which shows two clematis blooms which have been shredded. I can not find the culprit. some of the leaves have also been attacked. Can you kindly advise a solution.

Name: nan mcdonald
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 15, 2011 - 05:07 am
Message: clematis with large white flowers has brown leaves which are brittle, this is 2nd year this has happened

Name: P Brooks
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 06, 2011 - 06:17 am
Message: clmatis rampant leaves but no flowers for three years.

Name: susan marquis
E-mail: suzyq980@hotmail.com
Date posted: July 18, 2011 - 05:10 am
Message: something is eating the leaves on My montana clemitis, have you got any idea what it could be .There no signs of aphids or greenfly or blackfly. I planted about 3 month ago.

Name: christine
E-mail: Private
Date posted: July 18, 2011 - 04:36 am
Message: I have a newly planted clematis montana and something is attacking the leaves especially the new shoots leaving masses of holes thought it was earwigs so used boric acid but this has done nothing what could it be and what can I do about it

Name: Ann
E-mail: seasiderannie@msn.com
Date posted: July 16, 2011 - 08:00 am
Message: The leaves on my clematis turn brown when the flowers bloom. What can I do to prevent this from happening?

Name: Jean Clark
E-mail: jean.clark83@yahoo.com
Date posted: June 20, 2011 - 02:20 pm
Message: My Jackamani clematis died from a disease that does not match any of your descriptions.

The entire plant (in the middle of blooming) turned black and died.

I have read a letter from one other person describing this phenomenon.

Do you have any helpful information or advice?