clematis by mail order-is this reasonable
 

I decided to try one clematis. I chose a duchess of edinburgh, which
after research I realize wasn't the best choice for my first.

I received the "plant" the other day and I wanted to check with you
folk if my expectations were unreasonable or this condition is common.

It was $10, and came lying sideways in a plastic caddy that caught all
the dirt that spilled out. The square pot the cutting is in is 2"
square, 3" deep. The cutting is 3.5" tall of thin wood with three
nodes branching old wood. All the leaves on the lower two nodes are
curled up, brown, dry and brittle. The top node sported a mixture of
dead and half dead leaves. three leaves have some green and suppleness
left but they are rotted brown and curled throughout their edges. From
the crotch of third node are three tiny leaves which looked new and
one long yellow stem with two yellow stalks--I think this is new wood
with two leaf stems.

http://members.aol.com/DigitalVinyl66/clematis.jpg

Since then the tiny leaves have curled and the yellow stem is drooped
low. I'm hoping for it to recover.

Is this sad little guy normal? I expected a plant with some life on
it, not rotting brown leaves. SHould I trim all but the new yellow
stalk off. A cluster of rotted leaves already broke off the second
node's stem.



DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)

clematis by mail order-is this reasonable
 

Dormant clematis always look rather unpromising, but I'd say yours is in
sorry shape by any standards. It looks like it was shipped after is started
to break dormancy, and suffered on the trip. You can still plant it out,
and it may surprise you and do ok, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to ask
for a refund, IMO.

Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA


"DigitalVinyl" wrote in message
...
I decided to try one clematis. I chose a duchess of edinburgh, which
after research I realize wasn't the best choice for my first.

I received the "plant" the other day and I wanted to check with you
folk if my expectations were unreasonable or this condition is common.

It was $10, and came lying sideways in a plastic caddy that caught all
the dirt that spilled out. The square pot the cutting is in is 2"
square, 3" deep. The cutting is 3.5" tall of thin wood with three
nodes branching old wood. All the leaves on the lower two nodes are
curled up, brown, dry and brittle. The top node sported a mixture of
dead and half dead leaves. three leaves have some green and suppleness
left but they are rotted brown and curled throughout their edges. From
the crotch of third node are three tiny leaves which looked new and
one long yellow stem with two yellow stalks--I think this is new wood
with two leaf stems.

http://members.aol.com/DigitalVinyl66/clematis.jpg

Since then the tiny leaves have curled and the yellow stem is drooped
low. I'm hoping for it to recover.

Is this sad little guy normal? I expected a plant with some life on
it, not rotting brown leaves. SHould I trim all but the new yellow
stalk off. A cluster of rotted leaves already broke off the second
node's stem.



DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)