Plant ID card |
|
|---|---|
Botanical name |
Wisteria sp. |
Common name |
Chinese Wisteria, Japanese Wisteria. |
Family |
Fabaceae. |
Origin |
China, Korea, Japan. |
Dimensions |
Wisteria can measure up to 15 m high and as wide. |
Foliage |
The deciduous leaves of wisteria measure between 20 and 40 cm long and are composed of around fifteen leaflets. Tender green in spring, they take on a darker shade in summer then turn golden in autumn, before falling in winter. |
Bloom |
The flowers of wisteria contribute greatly to its beauty. Depending on the variety, they can be mauve, white, pink, blue or even purple. Organized in hanging clusters, they generally bloom between the months of April and June. They then give way to pods of around fifteen cm containing the seeds. |
Exposure |
Wisteria appreciates a very sunny location to flower well, while being sheltered from cold winds. |
Ground |
Wisteria grows particularly well in sandy, fresh, non-calcareous and deep soil. |
Rusticity |
-20°C. |
Boasting generous clusters of sweet-smelling flowers and dense light green foliage, wisteria is a very decorative woody climbing plant.
With its branches that wind counterclockwise and its great covering power, it is ideal for giving a rustic and poetic style to a garden.
Know that it only takes a few tips to successfully grow a glucine into a flourishing tree.
When and where to plant wisteria?
Season:
the ideal time to plant wisteria is spring or autumn, excluding frost periods;
Location:
wisteria must be planted at the foot of a solid trellis structure.
The branches wrap around this support as the wisteria grows.
As it can live for more than 50 years, it is important to choose a long-lasting location.
Wisteria tends to take up space, to the detriment of surrounding plants.
It is therefore preferable to plant wisteria in isolation.
For optimal flowering, wisteria must be planted in full sun but protected from cold winds which can damage the flower buds;
Soil:
for it to grow well, it is imperative to plant wisteria in soil with little limestone, or even slightly acidic, in order to avoid any risk of chlorosis.
Poor soil will ensure abundant flowering because the foliage will develop less than in rich soil.
As it can live for more than 50 years, it is important to choose a long-term location for your wisteria, which tends to take up space.
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No use without permission.
Also read Wisteria in a pot: a beautiful climber for the terrace or balcony!
How to take care of wisteria?
Easy to live with once it is well established, wisteria requires little maintenance apart from annual pruning.
Indeed, wisteria can be somewhat invasive if allowed to grow as it pleases!
To encourage flowering, it is advisable to
prune new shoots
since the flowers are on the stems of the previous year.
Wisteria can be pruned as soon as the leaves fall until the end of winter, taking care to avoid periods of frost.
Please note that it is not recommended to fertilize a wisteria, otherwise the foliage will develop to the detriment of the flowers.
How to prevent wisteria leaves from turning yellow?
While wisteria is relatively disease resistant, its foliage may turn yellow.
Generally, the reason is to be found on the ground side.
Indeed, wisteria can be subject to chlorosis
if
it is planted in calcareous soil.
To remedy this, it is possible to enrich the soil with iron sulfate.
How to prune a wisteria?
As wisteria is a plant that can grow up to 15 m high and grow very large, it is necessary to stake it and prune it regularly.
It will only be more beautiful and more flowery.
Here are the steps to follow to have a wisteria with a well-defined silhouette:
Choose the right stake:
in order to properly control the silhouette of your wisteria, equip yourself with a stake of the desired height and attach the main stem of the wisteria to it.
Eliminate unnecessary branches:
lighten the silhouette of the wisteria by cutting all the lateral branches up to the top of the trunk.
When the branches at the top of the trunk develop, attach them to a wall, gutter, pergola roof or other support.
Prune regularly:
so that the wisteria maintains a beautiful slender silhouette, the stems that grow from the main branch must be pruned every year.
As wisteria is a plant that can grow up to 15 m high and grow very large, it is necessary to stake it and prune it regularly.
Copyright (c) 2019 Egoreichenkov Evgenii/Shutterstock.
No use without permission.
Does wisteria grow quickly?
Once established in a suitable location, wisteria can grow
very quickly
, at a rate of 1 m per year.
Also read: 20 exceptional purple flowers for your garden
Is glycine toxic?
Wisteria is a plant considered
toxic and irritating
.
If its roots or seeds are ingested, they can cause digestive problems accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
You must therefore ensure that children and animals stay away from it.
Can you grow wisteria against your house?
It is entirely possible to grow a wisteria against a house, by attaching a large wire along the wall to serve as a support for example.
In fact, wisteria
does not damage walls
.
However, since it is a very vigorous climbing plant, it is necessary to plant it along a very solid support.
Indeed, as it grows and grows, its powerful trunk can twist pergola, stair or balcony railing in wood but also in metal.
Which variety of wisteria to choose?
There are a wide variety of different wisterias available, all with interesting characteristics.
Here are our favorites:
With its abundant purple flowers,
Chinese wisteria
(
Wisteria sinensis
) is particularly exuberant.
This is the most commonly grown variety.
Japanese wisteria
(
Wisteria floribunda 'Macrobotrys'
) has particularly impressive clusters of flowers that can be up to 1 m long.
Due to its late summer flowering,
American wisteria
(
Wisteria frutescens
) is well suited to regions with colder climates.
Okayama wisteria
(
Wisteria venusta Okayama
) smells particularly good.
In addition, due to its moderate development, it is suitable for small gardens.