Japanese Wisteria Wisteria floribunda
- Phonetic Spelling
- wis-TEER-ee-uh flor-ih-BUN-duh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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This plant is problematic and alternatives should be considered. Please see the suggestions in the left-hand column.
Although it may be slow to establish, Japanese wisteria is aggressive and invasive in North Carolina, due to its rampant growth and rooting surface runners (stolons). It is a woody deciduous vine that twines in a clockwise direction and requires sturdy support and regular pruning. The stems can twine along a support up to 10 to 25 feet or more or can be trained as a shrub or small tree. Bright green compound pinnate leaves have 15 to 19 leaflets, and 12- to 18-inch long, drooping clusters (racemes) of pink to purple, pea-shaped, very fragrant flowers. These flowers bloom from the base of clusters to the tip as the leaves emerge in spring. After flowering, pendant velvety seed pods about 6 inches long ripen in fall, sometimes persisting into winter.
Japanese Wisteria can withstand both wet and dry soils. It can create very dense thickets by twining and covering over shrubs and trees. The stems root wherever the nodes touch the ground. Wildlife does not utilize this plant because the seed size is very large. The seeds are dispersed by water. It is shade intolerant.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Due to its aggressive growth, this plant is very high maintenance once established, native alternatives should be considered. The seeds are poisonous.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Alba'
White flowers, very fragrant. - 'Carnea' aka 'Kuchibeni'
White with pinkish tips. - 'Issai'
Violet to blue-violet on 12" racemes. - 'Ivory Tower'
White flowers, very fragrant, racemes to 2' long. - 'Longissima Alba'
White flowers, very fragrant, racemes to 2' long. - 'Macrobotrys'
Red-violet, fragrant flowers on 2-4' racemes. - 'Multijuga'
Purple flower blooms in May or June. - 'Nuda'
Purple flowers. - Rosea
Rose pink flowers, fragrant. - 'Snow Showers'
White flowers, very fragrant, racemes to 2' long. - 'Variegata' aka 'Non Nishiki'
Foliage splattered with cream to yellow. - 'Violaccea Plena'
Violet-blue, double flowers in clusters under 1'. Very fragrant. - 'White Blue Eye' aka 'White/Blue Eye'
White flowers with blue-violet blotch.
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Carnea' aka 'Kuchibeni', 'Issai', 'Ivory Tower', 'Longissima Alba', 'Macrobotrys', 'Multijuga', 'Nuda', Rosea, 'Snow Showers', 'Variegata' aka 'Non Nishiki', 'Violaccea Plena', 'White Blue Eye' aka 'White/Blue Eye'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
White flowers, very fragrant. - 'Carnea' aka 'Kuchibeni'
White with pinkish tips. - 'Issai'
Violet to blue-violet on 12" racemes. - 'Ivory Tower'
White flowers, very fragrant, racemes to 2' long. - 'Longissima Alba'
White flowers, very fragrant, racemes to 2' long. - 'Macrobotrys'
Red-violet, fragrant flowers on 2-4' racemes. - 'Multijuga'
Purple flower blooms in May or June. - 'Nuda'
Purple flowers. - Rosea
Rose pink flowers, fragrant. - 'Snow Showers'
White flowers, very fragrant, racemes to 2' long. - 'Variegata' aka 'Non Nishiki'
Foliage splattered with cream to yellow. - 'Violaccea Plena'
Violet-blue, double flowers in clusters under 1'. Very fragrant. - 'White Blue Eye' aka 'White/Blue Eye'
White flowers with blue-violet blotch.
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Carnea' aka 'Kuchibeni', 'Issai', 'Ivory Tower', 'Longissima Alba', 'Macrobotrys', 'Multijuga', 'Nuda', Rosea, 'Snow Showers', 'Variegata' aka 'Non Nishiki', 'Violaccea Plena', 'White Blue Eye' aka 'White/Blue Eye'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Wisteria
- Species:
- floribunda
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Bark can be used to make ropes and sandals. Branches are used for creating bridge cables.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Grafting
- Leaf Cutting
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Edibility:
- The seeds can be eaten ONLY once cooked. Young leaves are commonly cooked and flowers can be eaten raw or cooked (stems removed). However, exercise caution as they are similar to other poisonous wisteria species.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Winter
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- After flowering, flattened pendant velvety seed pods 2 1/2"-6" inches long containg 1-8 seeds ripen from mid summer into fall, sometimes persisting into winter. Raw seeds are poisonous but can be eaten once properly cooked.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- > 6 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are 12"-18" long in drooping clusters (racemes) of pink to purple pea-shaped, very fragrant flowers, blooming from the base of the cluster to outward tip as leaves emerge in spring.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 12-15" long, bright green compound pinnate leaves with 15-19 leaflets alternately arranged on 4"-16" stalks. Emerging leaves can be red-tinged.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Light Brown
- Bark Description:
- Dark gray with white dots, can reach a diameter of 10". Older trunks can develop a fluted and a muscle-like form, which can be attractive.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stem colors may include green and gray and can reach a diameter of up to several inches.
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Landscape:
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Dry Soil
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
