Wisteria Tree

The Wisteria tree is a rapidly growing vine that may add 10 feet or more in one year. This beautiful draping plant is a Fabaceae (legume) family member, including peas, beans, and lentils.

Wisteria Tree Characteristics

This plant owes its twining ability to its membership in this family and easily twines, rambles, and climbs over walls, arbors, and trellises. Blooming in the spring, this plant produces gorgeous flower clusters in lavender, blue, and violet shades. The flowers move in the slightest breeze, sending the unmistakable heady aromatic fragrance of the blooms into the air.

Growing These Vining Trees

This plant also produces huge seed pods, which 19th-century botanists and collectors imported from China and Japan into Great Britain and the U.S. Growing this plant from seed proved challenging since the plants can take up to 15 years to bloom when planted from seed. The flowers from those plants are not as hardy or impressive as plants grown from cuttings used for layering or grafting. Today, most gardeners grow it from plants already established in one—or two-quart containers.

Where To Plant This Purple Tree

It is hardy to zone 5 and is easy to grow. Best planted where it will receive full sun to light shade, this fast and vigorous grower does best in slightly alkaline soil and offers good drainage.

The home gardener needs to provide a sturdy support system since the plants become extraordinarily woody and heavy with maturity. And be prepared to do some heavy pruning and shaping since this is considered invasive.

There Are Many Varieties

Chinese and Japanese vines are two of the most popular types. The Chinese vine can grow to 100 feet and generally blooms within three or four years of planting.

Its flower clusters average between six and 12 inches long and are milder in fragrance. The Japanese do not grow as large as the Chinese plant, but the flower clusters can reach 18 inches long. A notable difference is that while Chinese flowers bloom simultaneously, Japanese flowers only bloom some simultaneously.

Wisteria Tree requires attention to keep in check, but it is worth the effort. This graceful, fragrant, and flamboyant vine can help create a magical garden atmosphere.