About
Deciduous climber about 5-6m tall, with twining stems, and green leaves speckled and variegated white, divided into small, crinkled leaflets. Well-established older plants may produce drooping racemes of lightly scented, blue-purple, pea-like flowers to 15cm long in late spring, but this cultivar rarely flowers and is grown for the attractive foliage.
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
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub
HabitClimbing
FoliageDeciduous
Height4-8 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height5-10 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
CultivationGrow against a house wall, archway or trained as a free-standing half standard in a container. Suitable for bonsai cultivation. 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