Thanks so much! I got really excited when I saw your post, because the flowers look right. I did more digging and I found the link below. It says that the clematis virginiana has toothed leaves. Mine has a smooth leave that's rounded at the bottom and pointed at the tip. Like I said--they're thin and very dead right now (I live in Nebraska and we have cold temps). What will sweet autumn clematis do in northern climates over winter? The plants on my porch aren't invasive at all--the flowerbeds have been neglected here for a number of years and I didn't see any sign that it had spread all over. I know sweet autumn can be very invasive and it's supposed to be evergreen. Could it be that, but more controlled in a northern climate without full sun exposure? Does it die back in northern climates and then regrow from the roots each spring? I only saw it last fall, but there didn't appear to be dead growth mixed in with the live growth then. I'm lost...that's why I have no idea how to id it. Thanks so much! http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/clematisvirg.html

I doubt it's either 'Etoile Violette' or 'Polish Spirit' - both of these are late season clematis (pruning group 3) that usually don't start blooming until midsummer. In full bloom in April would be pretty unusual. It could very well be 'Jackmanii' or 'Jackmanii Superba'. While this is also a group 3 clem, it has one of the longest bloom cycles and can start blooming quite early - late spring as opposed to midsummer.

I would get it out of the container immediately and plant it in the ground. I would cut it back and hope for the best.

Well that would explain why I have not found any pictures matching it when I search..... Somebody told me it was a Clematis, so that is what I have been searching for. Hopefully I can find somewhere to buy this plant, but if not I was going to ask the business where I found it if I could take a clipping.