Growing Wisteria: Tips at a Glance
- Type Flowering vine
- Oldest on Record 250 years
- Growing Zones 4-9
- Light Sun or some shade
- Water Well-drained soil
- Colors Blue, purple, white
- Design Tip Fragrant bower
- Companions Clematis
- Peak Season Spring flowers
Wisteria: A Field Guide
Pretty, yes. Fragrant, yes. But never forget the truth about wisteria. “Deep down inside, it’s a thug,” says Cape Cod garden designer Tim Callis. “It wants to conquer the world.”
Of the 10 species in the wisteria family, some are less invasive than others. American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) is a native vine and often recommended as an alternative to the Asian wisterias, though expect less fragrance. Beware that the most common wisteria, W. sinensis, is highly invasive, as is W. floribunda. When planting any wisteria, allow 10 to 15 feet of space per plant and prune two to three times after bloom during the growing season. And don’t forget to give it a sturdy supporting structure because wisteria’s vines turn into trunks with age.
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