Brown leaves on Clematis are fairly common, for the most part, it isn’t something to worry about, but if most of the leaves turn brown or even crispy in a couple of days then the plant has a serious problem.
A sudden browning of a clematis plant can be a sign of various diseases, such as clematis wilt, root rot, or leaf spot. While these diseases can be concerning, they don’t necessarily mean the plant is doomed. By improving the cultural conditions, you may be able to help the plant recover. Proper watering, ensuring good drainage, providing adequate sunlight, and practicing good sanitation by removing affected leaves and debris can all contribute to the plant’s health and potential recovery.
If your Clematis is developing brown leaves after flowering due to Clematis wilt, then my personal recommendation is to use a liquid copper fungicide Click here to check it out on Amazon.com
Flowering for any plant is a serious commitment, oftentimes unhealthy plants that manage to flower will die back, and some of them might not even be able to recover. Clematis plants that get sick while they are flowering will rather lose their leaves than their flowers, this sometimes can kill the entire plant. Large flowered Clematis is prone to developing brown leaves after flowering, although, for the most part, they will bounce back.
As soon as the Clematis plant has everything it needs in order to flower it will start making flower buds, this can be extremely problematic if the plant isn’t established yet. If you want to know how to grow Clematis indoors then check out my recent article How To Grow Clematis Indoors ( In 7 Easy Steps ).
Clematis Brown Leaves After Flowering
Clematis brown leaves after flowering can be a common occurrence and can have various causes. One possible reason is that the plant is experiencing natural leaf senescence, where older leaves naturally die off as the growing season progresses. This is a normal part of the plant’s life cycle. Another reason for brown leaves could be environmental stress factors such as extreme heat, insufficient watering, or inadequate nutrient levels. Additionally, fungal diseases like clematis wilt can cause browning and wilting of leaves.
To address the issue, ensure that your clematis receives adequate water, especially during hot and dry periods, and provide it with a well-draining soil. Pruning out any affected or diseased foliage can also help manage the problem. Applying a fungicide specifically formulated for clematis wilt may be necessary if the disease is present.
Clematis Is Not Established
One of the main reasons why the leaves of the Clematis turn brown after flowering is because the plant is not established yet. It takes around one year until a newly planted Clematis is established, this is plenty of time for them to get their roots established and have some new growth as well. If you have planted your Clematis this year, and it flowered, only for it to lose its leaves, then this is the most likely cause for it.
In the first year of planting the Clematis, you should not let it flower, simply cut off any flower buds. This way the plant will focus most of its energy on growing roots, and after a year it will have strong enough roots to sustain both its leaves and flowers at the same time. If you want to grow two Clematis in the same container then check out my recent article Two Clematis In One Container ( In 6 Steps ).
Drought
Established Clematis that are growing in the same place for several years will able to survive a light drought, although the ones that are growing in the same place for less than 2-3 years are really vulnerable to drought. If the drought is severe enough the Clematis will not flower, but if a couple of rainy days come then it will attempt to flower. If the drought comes back while it is flowering the plant might shed some of its leaves and focus all of its energy on the flowers.
Make sure that the soil around the Clematis is not dried out and compacted, on hot summer days they will need a little bit more water. If the Clematis is flowering and already starting to lose some of its leaves then give it some more water or simply chop off the flowers.
Root Rot
Clematis have fairly shallow roots, and root rot in most cases isn’t an issue. However, under certain circumstances, root rot can occur and at that point, both their leaves and flowers will fall off. If the root rot started when the Clematis is in full bloom then it will try to keep its flowers at all costs, although after it has flowered the entire plant might collapse, and even the stems might dry out.
Too Much Nitrogen In The Soil
Clematis grow fairly well even if they are not fertilized, but they will suffer if there is too much fertilizer in the soil. Usually, what tends to happen when there is too much nitrogen in the soil, the Clematis will focus on growing leaves and will skip flowering entirely. However, if you start fertilizing when there are already some flower buds on the Clematis and you add too much nitrogen then some of its leaves will turn brown.
The browning usually starts with the tip of the leaves, and eventually, the entire leaf will dry out. If you have been fertilizing your Clematis then you need to stop for a while, odds are that the pant will bounce back in a matter of weeks.
Overwatering
Overwatering can be deadly to most plants, and this is the same in the case of Clematis as well. These plants need a bit more water when they flower, but if they get too much water after they have finished flowering they will get stressed out, and their leaves will turn brown. In the worst case scenario, if you have overwatered your Clematis after it has flowered, it can easily develop root or even stem rot, both of which can be bad news to your plant.
To prevent this, you should cut back on watering your Clematis after it has flowered, but only if you have been giving it some extra water while the plant was blooming.
Clematis Wilt
Clematis wilt can cause the leaves of the plant to turn brown and fall off after it has flowered but only if the Clematis wilt starts affecting the plant after it has flowered. Usually, this can be a coincidence, as a plant that is affected by Clematis wilt will lose both its leaves and the flowers as well, and most Clematis will not be able to bounce back. Some people tend to overwater their Clematis when they start flowering, and this excess moisture can easily lead to Clematis wilt. Clematis wilt will turn the leaves somewhat purple, for more info check out my recent article Clematis Leaves Turning Purple ( Top 3 Reasons ).
Key Takeaways
- The main reason why the leaves of the Clematis turn brown after flowering is because the plant is not established, and its root system can not provide enough nutrients to the leaves and the flowers at the same time. Which ends up in the plant simply shedding most of its leaves to keep the flowers. Too much water or too little of it can have the same effect, especially if the Clematis has just finished flowering.
- Healthy Clematis should not lose its leaves after it has flowered.
- Large flowered hybrid Clematis varieties are prone to developing brown leaves after flowering.