Chinese Wisteria, Japanese Wisteria, Silky Wisteria, Wisteria sinensis, Wisteria floribunda, Wisteria brachybotrys
Wisteria is a beautiful and popular climbing plant that produces stunning clusters of flowers in the spring and summer. One of the most striking features of wisteria is its long, pendulous racemes of flowers, which can reach up to three feet (90 cm) in length.
Wisteria with long racemes are a popular choice for those who want to create a dramatic effect in their garden. These varieties produce cascading clusters of fragrant flowers that can range from shades of blue, purple, pink, and white. The long racemes add a stunning vertical element to any garden.
When grown on a pergola, arbor, or trellis, these vines create a beautiful and enchanting canopy that is sure to impress any garden visitor.
The length of the clusters (or racemes) varies with the species, variety, and growing conditions. The same variety might produce longer or shorter clusters depending on weather and growing conditions. Moreover, the flower clusters will get longer as the plant matures and becomes well-established.
The length of Wisteria flowers is an important factor to consider when buying.
If you wish to cover a pergola, the best effect will be obtained by a vine with long racemes. Wisteria floribunda, which has the longest racemes of all the species, provides a dramatic display on garden structures such as pergolas where the racemes can hang free, unimpeded by branches or foliage.
If you wish to cover a wall, while most wisteria vines would be effectively grown in this manner, the short-racemed vines would be more successful. Wisteria sinensis (Chinese Wisteria) is the species most suitable for walls where its shortish racemes are displayed to advantage.
Here is a list of cultivars organized by their raceme lengths.
| Hardiness |
5 - 8 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones |
5 - 8 |
| Climate Zones | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
| Plant Type | Climbers |
| Genus | Wisteria |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early, Mid) |
| Maintenance | High |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy |
| Tolerance | Drought, Deer |
| Attracts | Butterflies |
| Landscaping Ideas | Arbors, Pergolas, Trellises, Wall-Side Borders, Walls And Fences |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden |
maeterlinck999 / 123RF Stock Photo
| Hardiness |
5 - 8 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones |
5 - 8 |
| Climate Zones | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
| Plant Type | Climbers |
| Genus | Wisteria |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early, Mid) |
| Maintenance | High |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy |
| Tolerance | Drought, Deer |
| Attracts | Butterflies |
| Landscaping Ideas | Arbors, Pergolas, Trellises, Wall-Side Borders, Walls And Fences |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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