Wisteria, Chinese
Common Name: Wisteria, Chinese
Scientific Name: Wisteria sinensis (wiss-TER-ee-ah sigh-NEN-sis)
Family: Fagiaceae (Legume) – pea
Deciduous – Sun to part shade – Spacing 8 – 10 inches
White flowering Japanese wisteria. Scientific name: Wisteria floribunda.
HABIT: Fast-growing, twining vine that can grow to great heights. Purple spring flowers. has white flowers. Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) has longer flowers that don’t open until the foliage is on the plant. Wisteria climbs clockwise.
CULTURE: Loose, well-drained highly organic soil. Moderate water and fertilizer. Easy to grow in any soil.
USES: Climbing vine for arbor, fence, or wall. Spring flowers.
PROBLEMS: A few caterpillar attacks. Can take over if not pruned to keep in shape. Grasshoppers. Now classed as invasive in many states.
Texas Invasive Species Institute informationInvasive.org list (National Park Service)USDA Forest Service plant information and fire management details
Note from the University of Florida Wisteria page is that there are native non-invasive wisteria (follow the link for more information, but don’t follow their glyphosate tip for removal):
For those who wish to incorporate flowering vines into your yard, do your landscape and the environment a favor and find a nursery that can recommend a non-invasive plant. Another good reference is the EDIS publication “Flowering Vines for Florida,” which provides photos, information on growing regions, and flowering times on a number of flowering vines ideal for Florida landscapes.
American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) and evergreen wisteria (Millettia reticulata) are two lovely, non-invasive options for your home landscape. The native American wisteria cultivar ‘Amethyst Falls’ has deep blue/purple flowers and blooms in the spring and summer. The blooms may not be quite as fragrant, but won’t need the constant pruning and caution associated with Chinese or Japanese wisterias.
An added bonus, American wisteria is a larval host plant to both the silver-spotted skipper and the long-tailed skipper butterflies. American wisteria is only hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9, so it will not perform well in all parts of Florida.
NOTES: Most wisteria are native to China. Many gardeners have difficulty getting wisteria to bloom.
