Wisteria chinensis (Chinese Wisteria)
Michael's Opinion
Brilliant vine, somewhat invasive, vigorous and long lived woody plant in warmer parts of the southern United States. Typically trained over arbours and trellises. Can also be trained and shaped into a small tree or standard. Many gardeners have trouble trying to get it to bloom but it’s well worth the effort when it does.
Botanical Information
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Genus | Wisteria |
| Species | chinensis |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Vine |
| References | M. Putzer Nursery Hornby, Ontairo, Canada; also widely available |
| Origin | Japan and China. In the wild it grows along cliffs and ledges where vines can either climb or drape. |
| Pronunciation |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 5-8 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 6-9 |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -20 to 30 |
| Temperature (°F) | -4 to 86 |
| Height | 10-15 m |
| Spread | 5-10 m |
| Growth | Fast |
| Flowering Period | May |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | A beautiful vine, propagates very easily but can become quite invasive in the warmer reaches of our climate (USDA zone 7 +). The blossoms always appear in pendulous racemes and are typically 30 cm in length. |
| ID Characteristic | It can grow to a height of 10 m, and has flower racemes up to 30 cm in length. Individual clusters of flower can open all at once creating a wonderful display of bloom with a slight fragrance. |
| Shape | Multi trunked but can also be trained to grow with one single trunk. Often placed alongside porches or on arbours. |
| Landscape | Woody ornamental vine that is able to twine or trail on the ground. Often used over a garden arbour and creates a perfect focal point in landscape when in bloom. |
| Propagation | When seeds are fresh and ripe in the autumn they may be direct sown and should germinate in the spring. If the seeds are dry, pre-soak and sow them into loamy soil in the greenhouse in early spring. |
| Cultivation | Enjoys moist but well drained soils, flourishes in full sun but tolerates partial shade. |
| Pests | None of note. |
| Notable Specimens | Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. |
| Habitat | Open woods, sometimes seen along roadsides and forest edges in Japan and China. A widely cultivated species. |
| Bark/Stem Description | The bark is rough and light grey to tan in colour. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Woolly, brown 0.5-2 cm long. |
| Leaf Description | The leaves are compound and about 30 cm in length, usually consisting of 7-13 leaflets. |
| Flower Description | Flowers are pendulous racemes and are aesthetically pleasing. They are typically white in colour. Racemes are 10 - 50 cm long and 8 -10 cm wide. |
| Fruit Description | Green seed pods turning beige at maturity, 10 - 15 cm in length. Pods tend to taper toward their base. |
| Colour Description | Spring blossoms are white in colour. |
| Texture Description | Medium coarse texture. |
Photographs
A plant trained as a standard at the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Wisteria chinensis 'Venusta'