Looking for: any Clematis seeds/seedlings/plants, Ceiba speciosa seeds (Silk floss tree), Croton cuttings (any except for "sloppy painter" and "mamey") in exchange for anything on this list: AMARILLAS (Deep red) - small to medium bulbs JADE PLANT - Crassulaceae - plant OYSTER PLANT - plant WANDERING JEW PLANT (purple) - plant Wandering Jew Tradescantia Zebrina Plant MEXICAN PETUNIA (purple and pink) - tall plant MEXICAN PETUNIA (pink) - dwarf plant ELEPHANT EARS - plant ALOE VERA - plant JUSTICIA CARNEA, or Brazilian Plume Flower (pink) ARROWHEAD VINE(Syngonium podophyllum) - plant GOLDEN POTHOS - plant MEXICAN FIREBUSH - small growths CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS - Madagascar Periwinkle -(Mauve; and white) - plant LIRIOPE - plants ANGEL TRUMPLET, Brugsmania (yellow) - cuttings IRIS YELLOW WALKING (Apostle Plant, Neomarica longifolia) - small plant Blue Passion Flower Vine Ipomoea Sweet Potato Vine (lime green, goldish color leaves) Blue/Purple Asystasia Gangetica Chinese Violet Ganges Primrose Live Plant Canna Lily Rhizome (Yellow Flower) Cactus Cutting With Yellow Flowers Cereus Repandus Peruvian Apple Cactus Seedling PEDILANTHUS TITHYMALOIDES 'Variegatus' (aka Varriegated Devil's Backbone, Christmas Candle, Jacob's Ladder, Japancese Poinsettia, Redbird Cactus, Slipper's Spurge, Zigzag Plant) SEEDS: October Rose Seeds Marigold Seeds Mexican Petunia Purple and Pink Seeds Blue Passion Flower Seeds Cereus Repandus Peruvian Apple Cactus Seeds 4 O'CLOCKS (Marvel of Peru) Seeds CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS - Madagascar Periwinkle -(Mauve; and white) Seeds

Trish, the NW experienced an unusually dry summer followed by a very wet and blustery winter. Without a closer examination, I'd guess your armandii was experiencing some drought stress going into fall and winter. Stressed evergreens of any kind are much more vulnerable to winter damage than those that are perfectly healthy. The numerous windstorms and sharp cold spells we had are likely contributing to the brown and dead growth you see now - armandiis do not like exposed sites and heavy winds. Mine and others in the area are on the verge of flowering right now and immediately after flowering is the best time to cut these back. Wait until the middle part of next month and cut back hard. Fertilize with rose or tomato fertilizer and pay close attention to the watering during the summer. A liberal organic mulch of compost at the base will help to retain soil moisture. If all is well, it should resprout and grow rapidly. Armandiis are vulnerable to a (suspected) virus that is similar in form to anthracnose. If you see a repeat of the same symptoms after providing the above care, you may want to consider replacing it.

The mulch acts like the "shade" for the roots, compared to having it be bare ground. Another way to help a clematis root is to plant it so that it gets morning sun. By afternoon, the root area might be in shade, even in the stems and leaves are reaching up to a sunny spot. I usually use annuals to cover the ground near my clematis. This is because they would typically grow all spring and summer, and not need to be replaced. They can also grow fast because their growth for that year is what they focus on. Sometimes I have perennials nearby, too, but they may be the type that are under the ground near the clematis roots, competing for nutrition at similar locations, so that might not be ideal, but I can't help it that I enjoy the beauty of annuals and perennials growing. For example, last year, I had some vinca for cover, as well as rain lilies. But I think the dianthus mounds would work really well, and I am trying that this year. They love sun and they mound up really well, so I think that might cover up the ground area near the clematis roots.

Yes you can. I did this as well and it looked fantastic. Unfortunately, my armandii was in a pot, a half wind barrel, and after 5 years it outgrew the barrel and I had to get rid of it since I did not have a place to plant in the ground.. You have probably already noticed the shoots break fairly easily but this clematis is such a vigorous grower it doesn't seem to be much of a problem. I did not prune mine I just let it go... the deer did some pruning for me. Wonderful vine... I miss it.