Climber
Chinese wisteria
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in May | Flowers in June | ||||||||||
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in October | Plant in November | ||||||||
| Prune | Prune in January | Prune in February | Prune in July | Prune in August | ||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in May | Looks good in June |
Overview
In late spring a well-trained wisteria is one of the great sights of a British garden, with long scented trails of lilac-blue pea flowers hanging from bare stems before the leaves fully open. Wisteria sinensis has racemes up to about 30 cm that open all at once. Japanese wisteria, W. floribunda, carries even longer trails that open gradually from the top, especially in 'Multijuga'; there are also white forms such as W. floribunda 'Alba'. Both are long-lived and very vigorous.
Where to grow chinese wisteria
Give it the sunniest wall, pergola or sturdy arch you have; flowering suffers in shade. Mature plants are extremely heavy, so supports must be strong galvanised wires on vine eyes or solid timber. Keep stems away from gutters, downpipes and roof tiles, which they can prise apart.
Planting
Buy a named, grafted or cutting-raised plant that is already flowering; seed-raised wisteria may take many years to bloom. Plant in autumn or spring, add compost, and tie the main stem to its support.
Care through the year
Spring
Fleece small plants if a hard frost threatens open flower buds.
Summer
Water well in dry late-summer spells, when next year's flower buds are forming.
Autumn
Tie in any long shoots you want to extend the framework.
Winter
Give the second prune and check ties are not cutting into stems.
Pruning
The two-stage routine builds short flowering spurs. In July or August, cut the long green whips of the current year back to five or six leaves. In January or February, shorten those same stubs to two or three fat buds. Leave selected shoots unpruned to extend the framework.
Propagation
Layer a low, flexible stem in spring or summer, or take softwood cuttings in spring. Seed is not worthwhile.
Common problems
Failure to flower is the commonest complaint, usually from a young seed-raised plant, too little sun, too much nitrogen or missed pruning. Buds may drop after frost or summer drought. Scale insects sometimes appear on stems.
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in January, February, March, April, July, August, October and November. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.