23+ Clematis Turning Brown. Clematis wilt is a common problem when growing clematis, especially with the fancier hybrids which have less resistance. A clematis that suddenly turns brown may be suffering from a disease such as clematis wilt, root rot or leaf spot.
Brown wrinkly leaves most often indicate too little water at some point.
Clematis wilt is a common problem when growing clematis, especially with the fancier hybrids which have less resistance. Rest assured that your clematis is not necessarily dying a spider mite infestation can cause browning on the leaves of the clematis. Powdery mildew fungi will also infect flowers, causing them to develop abnormally or fail. 2 clematis wilt causes the foliage and stems of your clematis vine to dry and whither, possibly even turning them black.