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Felder Rushing
Fabaceae
Wisteria sinensis
Blue Wisteria, Chinese Wisteria
Introduced to Western gardens in 1816, this native of China is a rampant, hardy, deciduous woody vine that blooms showily in late spring with long hanging clusters of lightly fragrant pea-like flowers in lilac-purple or white, followed by hanging velvety green pods. The flowers open in unison, providing a spectacular display. The bright green pinnate leaves usually have 11 leaflets. This massive twiner can literally cover acres if allowed to romp freely. There are many cultivars, including white-flowered 'Alba' and the floriferous 'Prolific.'
This wisteria, like others, grows and blooms best in full sun and well-drained soil, and sometimes takes several years to flower. Soil that is too rich in nitrogen may promote leafage at the expense of flowers. Large and vigorous, Chinese wisteria needs a sturdy structure for support and pruning to keep it in bounds. It can be trained as a small tree by staking a shoot upright, removing side shoots and restraining the top shoots by pruning for several years until the stem is self-supporting. It is listed as invasive in several areas including the eastern United States.
8 - 1
5 - 9
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Vine/Liana
Full Sun, Partial Sun
20'-90' / 6.1m - 27.4m
Late Spring
China
Acidic, Neutral
Well Drained
Loam
Very Fast
Average Water
Vining/Climbing
Spring, Summer
Showy
White, Purple, Blue Violet
Green, Brown
Green
Brown, Gray
Yes
No
Single
Medium
Matte
Smooth
Feature Plant, Screening / Wind Break, Vine
Sometimes
Butterflies
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