About
A vigorous twining climber with woody stems, a strong, upright habit and pinnate, mid-green leaves. Produces narrow racemes, up to 35cm long, of lightly aromatic, pea-like flowers with pale lilac and violet petals, in late spring and early summer.
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
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub
HabitClimbing
FoliageDeciduous
Height8-12 metres
Spread4-8 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden
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 a 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. See wisteria cultivation for more advice
PruningPrune twice a year for best results, see pruning wisteria for detailed advice
PropagationPropagate by basal softwood cuttings in early summer, by layering in autumn or by grafting in 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