Wisteria: A Climbing Vine

Wisteria can be called a shrub, a tree, a bush but most correctly it is a vine and vines need support. It is a woody, climbing, deciduous vine native to the United States, China and many more Asian countries. It is a favourite in Japan as is evidenced in Japanese pottery. Wisteria, also spelled Wistaria, grows splendidly well in Europe and is equally at home framing the doors and windows of English country houses as it is framing the archways of French chateaux.

Wisterias are vigorous climbers so it is important to select a suitable site with care. In order to experience and appreciate the magnificent floral display the plant should be given some free rein but bear in mind that pruning is also essential.

Do not believe that a Wisteria vine will achieve its splendour if it is just planted, supported and left to fend for itself. It will not. It will grow unchecked but it will be a tangled mass of woody stems and feeble growth.

Select a site with full sun. Wisteria needs plenty of sunshine if it is to bloom to its fullest potential. The second most important aspect of the site is its ability to support the vigorous growth. Wisterias will wrap them selves around any support structure they can reach but will also do very well clambering up a tree. Pergolas are also particularly useful in training this flowering vine.

Pruning a Wisteria

The single most important task in caring for a wisteria is pruning. Wisteria needs pruning on a twice yearly basis to ensure that the vine itself is kept in good condition but also to further ensure a good floral display. The flowers are best seen from below as they hand in pendulous racemes and whereas the best known and loved is the purple variety it is also available in white, yellow, violet and pink. It flowers in Spring to mid-Summer. The first pruning should be in early Spring before the new flower buds are too developed. The stems of a wisteria vine can grow to be as thick as a wrist so careful pruning with a pruning saw may be required. It is best to try to open up the previous years’ growth to make room for new shoots. The second pruning should be done in Summer, this is more of a tidy-up process than anything else. If it is necessary to severely prune a wisteria remember the newly pruned vine will burst into growth and will send shoots in all directions. It may be necessary to prune some of these also.

Propagation

Wisteria seeds are produced I pods and are poisonous. It is a thankless task trying to propagate from seed and such vines may not flower for decades. The best methods for increasing the stock is by softwood cuttings, Grafts, Suckers and Layering. Layering is by far the easiest method for the home gardener. Just bury a portion of a shoot with the tip still showing. Secure the shoot underground to prevent it from rising and disturbing any new tender roots it may have developed. Scar the part of the shoot to be buried with a sharp knife and leave if for a year. After this time it can be severed from the parent plant and it should have roots of its own by now. In the meantime take softwood cuttings of about 6′ long, dip them in rooting powder and inset them into a good compost. Cover the pot with clear plastic to keep the humidity up and to prevent them from drying out. They should show sign of growth after about 6-8 weeks.