A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Container Gardening What is going on with this clematis?

This is a pot that had 3 clematis, morning glorys and a couple of annuals. The purple clematis came back from last year in this pot. I killed one clematis by over fertilizing and the 3rd clematis is the one that has the green spidery blooms. And herein lies my question...WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT CLEMATIS???

I bought this one this year and added to the pot. I think the blooms should be big and white, but all I am getting are several of these green spidery looking blooms and nothing happens. They aren't turning to white blooms with petals and they aren't dying.

Has anyone seen this before and what do i need to do to get the actual flower? I also have some iridescent beetle looking bugs eating on them, what to use to get rid of them?

Thanks for the help

Hi It looks like the purple clematis you have is called the Jack Mandii, and the other one looks like the Old man's beard clematis, Minus the petals, they really don't have petals, just long stringy fuzzyness, most know for climbing on fences and shrubs they are a wild clematis.I could be wrong on the other one could also be the something else, had it ever bloomed before,, if so what color and what did it look like?
I would also take out the morning glory, could be all three in the same pot is choking out each other. seeds from the morning glory can be replanted every spring as they grow fast and bloom fast.
I would separate all if they are still in the same pot.
I know it's pain staking work to separate plants planted together in the same pot, but for the health of these particular flowers that's what I would do. :wink:

Clematis will come back stronger and fuller every year if grown in the ground. They like their faces in the sun and their feet shaded. ( IN other words plant a short growing perennial in front of them to shade their roots) but make sure they get full sun. Just place a trellis behind them and start them climbing
Many of us here have clematis that live in really cold winters, and their clematis is planted in the ground. Their clematis come back year after year. Don't cut them down in the fall, just mulch over the base with leaves or mulch.
As far as the beetles go,, I just pick them off. Since you have these in a pot you can move the pot, and maybe replenish the top two layers of soil if you chose to leave them IN the pot.

are the bugs Japanese Beetles? If that's the case I'd spray with Neem Oil because the beetles will eat the plant up before you know it.