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| Wisterias
are beautiful deciduous climbers with lovely fragrance
and spectacular hanging flowers. The twining stems
grow in a clockwise manner, keep this in mind when
training as a lot of energy can be wasted by the
plant when trying to undo itself from a
anticlockwise direction. |
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| Wisteria
is ideal for training up pergolas, trellis, wires
and trees and is a popular climber in China and
Japan. |
| There are ten
species of wisteria native to the eastern United States and
to China, Korea, and Japan. Japanese Wisteria grows to 25 feet
tall and its blooms are 12 to 18 inches long.
Chinese Wisteria is bigger and grows to more than
25 feet with flowers 6 to 12 inches long. |
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| Wisterias can be
trained against walls with the use of horizontal supports,
on garden structures such as pergolas and as standards in
pots and borders. When grown and shown correctly they can
create a wonderful focal point in any garden. Originally
growing in forests using trees as supports and taking
nutrients from the leaf falls, Wisteria will thrive in
similar man made conditions in our gardens. Choose a spot
that allows the roots to be shaded and the top growth to
find the sun. Use well rotted manure, not fresh when
preparing the site as this can cause root burn on new
plants. Maintain the area annually by adding a top dressing
of organic matter every spring. Wisteria grows and flowers
by searching for tree branches and winding the shoots
clockwise around them, this can be imitated by using wire or
structures. The wire should be placed along a wall or a
fence in horizontal lines ensuring the wire is securely
attached. When training the plant to the wire twist the
shoot in a clockwise direction or the plant will simply
untwist itself and waste energy in doing so. |
| Young plants grown from
seeds can take up to 20 years to flower, the varieties
listed below are grafted onto mature rootstock to ensure
quick flowering. |
| Wisteria
seeds available here |
| Wisteria
plants available here |
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| Wisteria varieties available online... |
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Dwarf
Wisteria - Amethyst Falls |
| Wisteria frutescens (American Wisteria) |
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| Beautiful,
scented pendants of lilac-blue flowers drape from the branches
of this quintessential cottage garden climber, filling the air
with an intoxicating perfume. This unusual American dwarf
species is less vigorous than other wisteria varieties,
reaching a mature height of 5m (16’). It’s compact growth
and prolific flowering habit makes Wisteria ‘Amethyst Falls’
an ideal specimen plant for large containers. |
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Dwarf
Wisteria - Amethyst Falls |
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| Ordinary
Wisteria can take up to 10 years to flower for the first time
but Wisteria ‘Amethyst Falls’ is guaranteed to flower this
season! Not only that, it will flower twice – once in April
then again in late July. Smothered in blooms, its large
panicles of amethyst blue are wonderfully fragrant. It’s at
its best grown against a sunny wall or in a large pot on your
patio. |
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Wisteria sinensis 'Chinese wisteria' |
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| Pendants
of purple blooms hang gracefully from woody anti clockwise
twining stems. Wisteria sinensis is particularly noted for its
fragrant flowers which are followed by velvety seedpods. A
quintessential climber that is perfect for training against
walls and over pergolas for adding a romantic feel to your
garden. Height and spread: Up to 9m (29'). Supplied as a 2
year old pot grown plants. |
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Wisteria sinensis 'Chinese wisteria' |
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| Vigorous
climber, stems twine anti-clockwise, a large plants that can
be maintained at any size. Light green pinnate leaves. Good
autumn colour. Sweetly scented flowers, mauve with purplish
lilac recemes 15-25cm long. |
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Wisteria sinensis 'Chinese wisteria' |
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| Pendant
clusters of fragrant, pea-like, bluish-lilac flowers in May
and June, often followed by velvety-green seed-pods. This
vigorous Chinese wisteria looks fabulous trained over a sunny
wall or strong pergola. Renowned for its superior fragrance
and flower-colour, the twining stems need careful pruning. |
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White
Wisteria
- Wisteria
floribunda 'Alba' |
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| Fast
growth, up to 4m per year. Light olive green leaflets, pinnate
leaves up to 35cm long. Yellow autumn colour with white
flowers growing to 66cm long. |
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Chinese wisteria
- Wisteria sinensis 'Alba' |
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| Pendant
clusters of fragrant, pure white, pea-like flowers in May and
June followed in hot summers by velvety, green seed-pods. This
classic white Chinese wisteria looks wonderful trained as a
small weeping tree. Renowned for its superior fragrance, it's
an ideal, fast- growing climber for covering a sheltered,
sunny wall or strong pergola. |
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Chinese wisteria
- Wisteria sinensis 'Alba' |
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| Vigorous
climber, stems twine anti-clockwise. A large plant that can be
maintained at any size. Light green pinnate leaves with
sweetly scented white flowers. Prune hard in late winter and
in late August to encourage flowers buds. |
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White
Japanese Wisteria
- Wisteria
floribunda 'Alba' |
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| This
elegant white Japanese wisteria produces extravagant clusters
up to 60cm (24in) long of fragrant, pea-like, white flowers in
June and light green leaflets, turning yellow in autumn. Less
vigorous than many other varieties it's ideal for training
against a sunny house wall. To enhance flowering prune the
twining stems twice a year. |
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Wisteria Purple Falls |
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| This Wisteria is great for trellis, arches and walls and produces a fantastic floral display.
Colour Lavender. Height Approximately 900cm. Spread Approximately 400cm.
Flowering Early to Mid Spring. Planting Position Full sun to partial shade.
Sold As 9cm Pot. |
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Wisteria Caroline 'Chinese kidney bean' |
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| Vigorous
climber, stems twine anti-clockwise. A large plant that can be
maintained at any size. Light green pinnate leaves with
sweetly scented deep blue flowers. Best grown in full sun and
trained on a wall, pergola or old trees. Prune hard in late
winter and in late August to encourage flowers buds. |
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Wisteria floribunda
- Japanese wisteria |
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| Pendent
clusters of fragrant, pea-like, violet-blue, pink or white
flowers in June and light grey-green leaflets, turning yellow
in autumn. Often underrated, this lovely Japanese wisteria is
less vigorous than other varieties. Ideal for training against
a sunny house wall, to ensure success the twining stems need
careful pruning. |
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Wisteria floribunda
'Yae-Kokuryu' ( Black Dragon ) |
| Japanese Wisteria |
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| Pendent
clusters of lighly fragrant, pea-like, violet-blue flowers
with white and yellow markings in May and June. This vigorous
wisteria is perfect for training over a sunny wall or stout
pergola. To enhance flowering it requires ample space for the
roots to 'run' and pruning rigorously twice a year. |
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Wisteria floribunda
'Multijuga' |
| Japanese wisteria (syn. W.
Macrobotrys) |
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| One of
the most spectacular wisterias bearing extravagant, long
clusters of fragrant, pea-like, lilac-blue flowers in June.
The trusses of this Japanese wisteria can exceed one metre in
length - longer than any other variety. It makes an
eye-catching feature grown over a robust pergola or trained
against a protected, sunny wall. |
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Wisteria floribunda
'Kuchi-beni' |
| Japanese
wisteria (Syn. Wisteria Lipstick ) |
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| Pendent
clusters of fragrant, pea-like, pale mauve-pink flowers,
tipped with purple, in June and light grey-green leaflets,
turning yellow in autumn. Often underrated, Japanese wisterias
are less vigorous than other varieties and are ideal for
growing against a sunny house wall or a sturdy pergola. To
encourage plenty of flowers, the twining stems need careful
pruning. |
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Wisteria floribunda
'Rosea' |
| Japanese wisteria |
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| This is a
rare form of Japanese wisteria that produces pendulous
clusters up to 45cm (18in) long, of pale rose-pink flowers in
June. It is less vigorous than many other varieties, so it's
ideal for training against a sunny wall. To enhance flowering,
provide ample space for the roots to spread and carefully
prune the twining stems twice a year. |
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Wisteria × formosa |
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| Pendent
clusters of fragrant, pea-like, violet-blue flowers, each with
white and yellow markings appear in May and June on this
vigorous wisteria. It is perfect for training over a sunny
wall or stout pergola where the flowers can best be
appreciated from below. To enhance flowering it requires ample
space for the roots to become well established and it will
need pruning twice a year. |
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Wisteria floribunda 'Domino' |
| Japanese wisteria syn ( Wisteria 'Issai ) |
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early summer, fragrant lilac-blue flowers open gradually from
the base of the pendulous racemes that form on this vigorous,
deciduous climber. After planting prune back the leading shoot
to 90cm (36in) above the ground. In the first growing season
tie in lateral shoots and cut back sub-lateral shoots to two
or three buds. During the first winter cut back laterals by
one third and sub-laterals by two or three buds. |
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Standard Chinese wisteria |
| Wisteria sinensis |
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| Pendant
clusters of fragrant, pea-like, bluish-lilac flowers in May
and June, often followed by velvety-green seed-pods. This
vigorous Chinese wisteria looks fabulous trained over a sunny
wall or strong pergola. Renowned for its superior fragrance
and flower-colour, the twining stems need careful pruning. |
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Standard Chinese wisteria |
| Wisteria sinensis 'Alba' |
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| Pendant
clusters of fragrant, pure white, pea-like flowers in May and
June followed in hot summers by velvety, green seed-pods. This
classic white Chinese wisteria looks wonderful trained as a
small weeping tree. Renowned for its superior fragrance, it's
an ideal, fast- growing climber for covering a sheltered,
sunny wall or strong pergola. |
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| Wisteria
Pruning |
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| Young
Wisteria - Choose
a Wisteria with short flower trusses to display against
walls and fences. Space the branches 40-60cm apart
initially and thin if needed as the plant spreads out
with regular pruning. Wisteria with longer flower
trusses show best on pergolas and arches. For standard
trained Wisteria you need a young single-stemmed plant
and a strong stake, the length that you require your
plant to grow to that is not going to rot or give way
whilst the plant is growing. Once you have allowed the
plant to grow outwards it will no longer continue to
grow upwards. Once the desired height has been achieved
remove the tip in late winter, this will cause side
shoots to grow at the top thus building up a head of
branches. To encourage this further prune every winter
to 15-30cm or if the shoots are weak or damaged prune
back completely. Late summer pruning can start once the
head is developing, prune back to above the 7th
leaf all shoots that you do not require and then prune
again in late winter to within 3cm of their bases. |
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| Mature
Wisteria -
Established Wisteria requires bi-annual pruning for
optimum flowering and to keep control over the growth
and size of the plant. In late summer prune all of the
current side-shoot growths to 30cms leaving only the
shoots you require to replace any worn out branches or
those you wish to train on. In late winter hard pruning
is required to promote growth and flowering. Cut back to
within 5cms of the main stem above a bud, again leaving
only the shoots you require to extend the growth of the
plant or to cover bare spaces. |
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| Pruning
Summary |
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| Why -
Wisteria needs pruning to keep the growth down to a
manageable size as well as improving the flowering
vigour. |
| Watch
- Keep an eye on wisteria getting into building fabric
like guttering, fascias and prevent from covering
windows. |
| When -
Twice a year. Winter prune in January, Summer prune in
July. |
| Summer
Prune - Prune the current seasons shoots right down
to 5 or 6 leaves after flowering. |
| Winter
Prune - When the plant is dormant cut back the same
shoots to two or three buds. |
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Links |
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More Garden
Plants
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Japanese
Gardening
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Oriental
Gardening Products
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Climbing
Plants
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Clematis
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