Species American wisteria
violet flowers with yellow-white center, purple buds, green leaves and olive stems

American wisteria

Wisteria frutescens

American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) is a vigorous, deciduous, woody climber. Its large fragrant flowers come in shades of white, pink, lavender, and blue. It produces long, sprays of fragrant, pea-like flowers in late spring or early summer before the foliage. The foliage is mid to dark-green, composed of 9-13 leaflets. It grows and climbs by twining its stems around available structures or other plants. A fast growing plant, American wisteria is drought tolerant and can be pruned for a more manageable size. In USDA plant hardiness zones 5-9, it is an excellent choice for training around arbors, pergolas, trellises, and other structures.

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Layering Propagation,Cutting,Grafting Propagation,Division,Seed Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

5 - 9

Flowers:

Lilac-purple Flowers

Sun:

Full sun

Leaf:

Yes

Growth Rate:

High

Maintenance:

Moderate

Poisonous To Pets:

Yes

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Invasive:

Yes

Care Level:

High

watering

American Wisteria prefers moist but well-drained soil. Water your wisteria regularly; during the growing season, you should water the plant deeply once a week for best results. You may need to water more often during periods of extreme heat. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. During the winter months, reduce watering to about every 2 to 4 weeks.

sunlight

American wisteria requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive, with 8 to 10 hours being ideal if exposed to the sun's rays throughout the entire day. This sun exposure requirement should remain relatively consistent in the warmer months of the year, although trees that are in habitats that experience temperature extremes might need some extra attention during hotter or colder months. Planting in a location that has morning sunlight is preferred, as this will help protect the plant from wilting during the hottest parts of the day.

pruning

American wisteria should be pruned twice a year: once in early spring, before flowers start to open, and once in late summer after flowers have bloomed. In early spring, prune back up to a third of the length of the previous season's growth to encourage a compact habit. Make sure to avoid pruning any of the flower buds that have formed in preparation for the upcoming flowering season. In late summer, cut back up to 1-third the length of the new season's growth, which will reduce the plant's vigor the following spring and encourage larger, more fragrant flowers. Additionally, remove any suckers that have sprouted up from the base of the plant.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

American wisteria typically starts flowering in late spring, usually in April or May.

Hardiness Map