It was explained to us in my first Master Gardener training course that a weed is anything that is growing in an area where you don’t want it to. This struck me as being both quite funny and perfectly suited to my inherited garden. A garden you did not plan or plant is one you inherit. This is something that can occur if you move into a new house with existing landscaping, as it did for me.
There were a lot of things about my garden that I wanted to modify when I inherited it more than a year and a half ago. However, transformation takes time, effort, and patience—three qualities I typically lack. Thankfully, I have just “tamed” things with a lot of pruning, cutting, and trimming, rather than ripping out numerous “weeds”.
The wisteria vine (Wisteria sinensis), which grows on a building in our backyard, was one such plant in my garden that required some taming. The wisteria vine is seen by some as a weed. In fact, it is referred to as “a vigorous growing, invasive vine.” But wisteria has a long history of positive meaning. It stands for peace, love, tenacity, power, and longevity. Over 100 years of life have been recorded for some vines. Wisteria is difficult for many gardeners to grow because it doesn’t blossom until the vine reaches adulthood, which for some vines might take up to 20 years. The good news was that we had noticed an adult vine when we had looked at the house, and it was in full bloom. The bad news was that it had gotten very content to intertwine itself into two trees on each side of the building by the time we moved in. Invasive?
I went completely bonkers with the garden tools last winter, when wisteria is dormant, and removed way too much of the vines. When spring finally arrived, I was met with a sparse amount of blooms and active vegetative development. After reading up on wisteria trimming, I decided to move my pruning to the end of the summer. At that time, I simply pruned the vines’ curled ends (not more than 1/3 of the new growth), the suckers at the base of the roots, and anything that retaliated against the trees.
I’m hoping my wisteria is in full bloom in my upcoming blog post so I have a spot to go and find serenity from the rest of the jungle I’m trying to “tame.”
A weed, is American wisteria?
Big, quickly growing vines that aim to rule the planet are possible. Imagine kudzu. Think
wisteria. But even rapid growers like wisteria can be controlled with some forethoughtful decisions.
make up. One of these options entails planting American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens), as opposed to its untamed, very prolific Japanese cousin Wisteria floribunda.
Native American wisteria is a deciduous vine that grows in damp thickets all across the
states in the Gulf Coast Plain in the Southeast. It is able to produce 20–30 twining vines.
feet long, but it isn’t as vigorous as Japanese wisteria, which grows more quickly and can reach lengths of
Dark green compound leaves with nine to fifteen leaflets are present. Lavender and blue fragrances
or white flowers are produced in trusses that are normally created after the leaves appear.
5-inch length. On the American wisteria, each pea-shaped blossom is larger than
however, the overall level of showiness in bloom is less than that of its Asian cousins because
Caspar Wistar (1761–1818), a physician and educator from Philadelphia, was given the name Wisteria.
He created a method of studying anatomy on wax-infused corpses. Wistar, a botanist by that name
Thomas Nuttall, an early proponent of vaccination who misread the plant’s name,
in the USA. Additionally, he actively participated in the American Philosophical Society, and
Charles Peale (1741–1827), a great artist, is most recognized for his classic works of art.
of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and other historical figures, but he was
also very passionate about natural history. Mammoths piqued his curiosity after
to draw some of the enormous bones discovered at a salt lick along the Ohio
River. Peale and his sons led the initial investigational mission to find
A healthy, fairly damp soil is ideal for growing American wisteria. It blooms the most
American wisteria is a nice vine to use as a covering for gateway arches.
even training along fences and pergolas. Similar to other robust vines, it has to be supported.
by an effective trellis. The trellis should ideally be separated from adjacent trees or
Depending on how they are grown, wisterias must be pruned properly. The vine if
If grown atop a chain link fence, trim it each winter to remove overgrown branches.
inhibit the spread of its lengthy shoots. If side shoots are cut off, keep a few buds.
Every year, give the vine that tops a pergola or other structure a severe pruning.
to maintain control after blossoming. In either instance, predetermine boundaries for
how big the vine is permitted to grow before attaching to them. A little pruning will
Is wisteria a harmful plant?
Both the relative Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria foribunda) and the Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) are firmly entrenched on the list of the Most Hated Invasive Plants.
In the yard of one of my neighbors across the street is this plant. In addition to tearing down the arbor in his yard, it is also spreading its runners throughout the neighborhood and even popping its head up through the basements with dirt floors in each home on that side of the street.
My neighbors are obviously not pleased. This plant is spreading like wildfire and tearing down anything in its path, including backyard sheds, arbors, fences, and even some structures. The cost of this destruction is enormous, even just in my area.
Japanese wisteria arrived in this country around 1830 after Chinese wisteria in 1816. This was a preferred plant for porches, trellises, and gazebos because the vines grew quickly and offered dense shade.
While doing research for this topic, I discovered a fascinating fact: Japanese wisteria twists counterclockwise, while Chinese wisteria twists clockwise around anything in its path.
Wisteria is it a vine or a tree?
In the spring, wisteria blooms ferociously, producing clusters of lilac-colored flowers on fresh growth that develops from spurs off the main stalks. Check out our Wisteria Growing Guide for more information on wisteria maintenance, including planting and pruning.
About Wisteria
Wisteria is a long-living vining shrub with cascades of blue to purple blossoms that, in the spring and early summer, look stunning hanging from a pergola or archway. However, this vine is known to grow fairly heavy and to grow quickly and aggressively, frequently reaching lengths of more than 30 feet. It’s advised not to put wisteria vines too close to your home since they will squirm their way into any crack or crevice they can find.
Beautifully fragrant wisteria flowers offer a feast for the senses. A brown, bean-like pod remains on the plant during the winter after flowering. There are only blooms on fresh growth.
Note: Be careful when planting wisteria! The wisteria plant contains lectin and wisterin, which are poisonous to people, animals, and even pets. If taken in significant quantities, these poisons can result in anything from nausea and diarrhea to death.
Is Wisteria an Invasive Plant?
The wisteria species Wisteria sinensis and Wisteria floribunda, which are not native to North America, are regarded as invasive in several areas. If you want to add a new wisteria to your garden, we advise choosing one of the native North American varieties, such as American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) or Kentucky wisteria (Wisteria macrostachya), which are excellent alternatives to the Asian species.
Do you want to know how to distinguish between North American and Asian species?
While North American wisteria is not quite as aggressive in its growing tendencies and has smooth seed pods and fruits in addition to more-or-less cylindrical, bean-shaped seeds, Asian wisteria is an aggressive grower with fuzzy seed pods. Another distinction is that the flowers of American and Kentucky wisterias appear in the late spring after the plant has begun to leaf out, whereas those of Chinese wisteria do not.
When to Plant Wisteria
- Plant during the plant’s dormant season in the spring or fall.
- Wisteria can be grown from seed, although plants from seeds frequently take many years to mature and begin to bloom. It is advised to buy wisteria plants that are already established or to begin with a cutting.
Where to Plant Wisteria
- Put a plant in full sun. Even while wisteria will grow in some shade, it won’t likely bloom. Sunlight is necessary.
- Wisteria should be grown in fertile, wet, but well-draining soil.
- Wisteria will grow in most soils unless it is in bad condition, in which case you need add compost. Find out more about soil improvements and getting the soil ready for planting.
- Because wisteria grows swiftly and can easily engulf its neighbors, pick a location apart from other plants.
- Additionally, wisteria is renowned for encroaching on and infiltrating surrounding buildings like homes, garages, sheds, and so on. We highly advise against growing wisteria too near your house!
- Wisteria vines need a very strong support, like a metal or wooden trellis or pergola, to climb on. Plan carefully and use substantial materials to construct your structure because mature plants have been known to become so heavy that they destroy their supports.
Wisteria looks gorgeous growing up the side of a house, but use caution when planting it because it is a very strong vine that will get into any crack or gap!
Caring for Wisteria
- Apply a 2-inch layer of mulch and a layer of compost under the plant each spring to keep moisture in and keep weeds at bay.
- Phosphorus is often used by gardeners to promote flowering. In the spring, work a few cups of bone meal into the soil. Then, in the fall, add some rock phosphate. Study up on soil amendments.
- If you get less than an inch of rain each week, water your plants. (To determine how much rain you are receiving, set an empty food can outside and use a measuring stick to gauge the depth of the water.)
- During the summer, try pruning the out-of-control shoots every two weeks for more blooms.
Pruning Wisteria
- In the late winter, prune wisteria. Remove at least half of the growth from the previous year, leaving only a few buds on each stem.
- Also prune in the summer after customary flowering if you prefer a more formal appearance. On fresh growth, spurs from the main shoots of the wisteria develop its blossoms. Trim back every new shoot from this year to a spur, leaving no more than 6 inches of growth. So that there are no free, trailing shoots, the entire plant can be trained, roped in, and otherwise organized throughout this procedure.
- Mature plants that have been cultivated informally require little to no more pruning. However, for a plant that has been formally trained, side branches should be pruned back in the summer to 6 inches, then again in the winter to 3 buds.
- Possess you a fresh wisteria? After planting, aggressively prune the vine. Then, the next year, trim the main stem or stems to a height of 3 feet from the growth of the previous year. After the framework has grown to its full size, midsummer extension growth should be cut back to where it started that season.
Types of wisteria:
There are two varieties of wisteria: Asian and American. Although aggressive growers, Asian wisterias are well-known for their stunning blossoms. American wisterias are less aggressive and still produce beautiful blossoms. Compare the most popular wisteria varieties.
Flower color:
Wisteria comes in a range of colors, such as white, pink, and blue tones, in addition to the well-known purple blossoms. If you believe you have seen a yellow wisteria flower, it was probably a golden chain tree (Laburnum).
Foliage:
Wisterias are deciduous, which means that when the weather becomes chilly in the fall, they lose their leaves. The misunderstanding is occasionally brought on by a different vine known as evergreen wisteria (Millettia reticulata).
Avoid planting aggressive wisterias close to your home as they can cause damage and have even been known to destroy buildings.
Wisterias can be grown in full sun or partial shade, but to promote healthy bloom development, make sure the vines get at least six hours of direct sunlight everyday. If you reside in a colder area, pick a planting location that is protected because a heavy spring frost can harm the flower buds.
Create a planting hole that is the same depth as the plant and twice as wide, then level the plant with the soil surface. Because the vines will soon fill in, you should space your plants at least 10 to 15 feet apart along the support structure.
Wisterias don’t need much care once they are planted to promote healthy growth. Water frequently over the first year until the roots take hold.
After planting, wisterias could take some time to come out of dormancy and might not start to leaf until early summer. They will leaf out at the regular time the following spring, but don’t be surprised if they don’t bloom. Wisterias take three to five years to reach full maturity and may not start blooming until then.
Wisterias grow quickly and can reach heights of up to 10 feet in in one growing season. That works out well if you need to quickly cover a fence or pergola but don’t want the vines to take over your landscape. Regular pruning (once in the summer and once in the winter) not only controls wisteria’s growth but also encourages more robust flowering by creating a framework of horizontal branches and causing spurs to grow at regular intervals.
Cut back the current year’s growth to five or six leaves in July or August, or roughly two months after the plant flowers, to get rid of stray shoots and make short branches that will produce flowers the following year. Summer pruning needs to be done more frequently. Re-prune the plant in January or February while it is dormant by removing two or three buds from the growth from the previous year.
The first few years of wisteria’s growth are crucial for creating the desired framework for the plant’s development. As soon as your wisteria begins to grow, start connecting particular lateral shoots to its support structure. You should also cut down any extra growth. An aggressive pruning may be required on elder plants to promote the growth of new branches. Cut down aging branches to the main primary stem to accomplish this. The spaces will soon be filled with new side branches that can be connected back into the support structure.
Visit the Royal Horticultural Society to view a video on how to prune wisteria vines properly.