About
A large, vigorous, deciduous climber to about 9m tall or more, with twining stems and dark green leaves, bronze-flushed when young, divided into leaflets that turn yellow in autumn. Slender, long racemes of sweetly scented, pea-like, pink flowers, marked dark mauvish-pink, produced in late spring, often followed by bean-like velvety, blue-grey seed pods to 15cm long.
About the genus
Wisteria are vigorous woody climbers with twining stems bearing pinnate leaves and long pendulous racemes of fragrant pea-like flowers in spring and early summer
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub
HabitClimbing
FoliageDeciduous
Height8-12 metres
Spread4-8 metres
Time to full height10-20 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants
FragranceFlower
ToxicityHarmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationA large, long-lived climber so choosing the right site is important. Can be grown informally through large tree or more formally against a house wall or trained as a free-standing half standard in a container. Will grow in most soils that are moist but well-drained in sun or part shade. See wisteria cultivation for more advice
PruningPrune twice a year for best results, see pruning wisteria for detailed advice
PropagationPropagate by layering in spring, softwood cuttings from late spring to early summer, hardwood cuttings in winter, root cuttings in late winter or grafting in late winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, glasshouse red spider mite, and scale insects including wisteria scale
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), phytophthora root rot, coral spot, fungal leaf spot, virus diseases, and powdery mildews