WISTERIA: WISTFUL NAME BUT HARDY IN NATURE (Wisteria)

Member Name: Ann J Sec

Product:	Wisteria
Date:	12/01/01 (1280 review reads)
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Advantages: Beautiful flowers.Leaves good for flower arrangements

Disadvantages: Trunk will,in time, grow to enormous proportions which could cause structural damage

This has to be one of the most beautiful climbers there is, as I am sure anyone who is remotely interested in gardening would tell you. What they might not tell you though is just how hardy this plant is.

I have one growing over a garage and after being burgled one year I'm afraid I took the secateurs and choppers to it and hacked it back almost to the ground!!! Ah...h.h.. I can hear all plant lovers groaning, but they have no idea of the panic I was in then and I'm afraid the fear of future burglaries won against my love of the wisteria,at least at the time. I was in tears at the thought of what I was doing, but the detective involved in my case had been insistent that it was likely the burglar had hidden behind the trunk of the wisteria and crept up under it's very abundant branches.

Within months however the Wisteria took off again and was even stronger than before. Additionally it flowered even more abundantly. Needless to say I was absolutely thrilled and once my fear of burglars had abated somewhat, I left it to its own devices and it now completely covers my garage once more.

A word of warning to others who might like to give this plant a try. DO NOT plant it too near to a wall. I inherited my Wisteria and it is now approximately 30 years old.
When new the main stem is slender and it is easy to forget that the trunk of this plant can grow to enormous proportions and can actually cause structural damage to properties. Mine is now the width of a fair sized tree and unfortunately it has completely cracked the garage wall against which it leans.

Another point to be aware of is that new wisterias probably won't flower for some considerable time, so don't become disheartened if yours doesn't look like a neighbours immediately after planting it.

In addition to flowering for quite a long season (abundantly in June then lesser so through to August/September) the Wisteria has beautiful lime
green leaves which look wonderful in flower arrangements. It also has a delicious perfume.

When picked the flowers tend to droop quickly and I haven't yet tried pouring hot water on the stems to see if that helps, but the leaves last for quite some time in clean cold water. Once the Wisteria has flowered it produces long shoots which have to be cut back if you want abundant flowering the next season, but as I've already said, it is possible to use the leaves in flower arrangements for many months after the flowering season finishes.. The leaves die off at the end of Autumn/beginning of Winter, but by April you will begin to see signs of growth again.

I've been told the Wisteria likes to have its roots in the shade and its head in the sun,in much the same way as Clematis and certainly mine is growing in just such a location.

Apparently it is no use trying to propagate this particular climber as it seems it will never flower. I would recommend therefore that you purchase this from a reputable nursery to ensure it has been propogated correctly. The initial outlay is quite expensive, but you will be recompensed for many years to come.

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