Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- wis-TEER-ee-uh froo-TESS-enz
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Looking for a vine to liven up your garden? ‘Amethyst Falls’ wisteria may be just what you are looking for. A superior selection of our little-known native wisteria, this deciduous vine is something special.
Unlike the more common Asian wisteria, you will be pleasantly surprised by the less aggressive nature of this American vine. Considered by some to be a dwarf wisteria, ‘Amethyst Falls’ has smaller leaves and smaller flowers than its exotic Asian relatives. Don’t be fooled, however; once this plant is established, it can climb 15 to 20 feet in a season.
Provides a heavy bloom in the late spring, and a lighter, repeat bloom in summer. The flowers are lightly fragrant, lavender-purple, and borne in cascading 4- to 6-inch racemes in May. Due to the fact that our native wisterias bloom on new growth, vines can be moderately pruned back each winter. This characteristic helps gardeners train ‘Amethyst Falls’ onto arbors or to almost any trellis form.
An excellent choice as an alternative for the more aggressive, invasive Oriental varieties. It will flower at a younger age, noninvasive and compact. Perfect for containers.
Best of all, this wisteria is both deer resistant and drought tolerant. ‘Amethyst Falls’ wisteria is an introduction from Head Ornamentals, Inc.
A host plant for the Marine Blue butterfly, Silver-spotted shipper, and Long-tailed shipper.
Propagation can be accomplished by softwood cuttings that are taken in the spring. This plant blooms on new wood.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- ‘Amethyst Falls’
- ‘Amethyst Falls’
- ‘Amethyst Falls’
- Tags:










- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- ‘Amethyst Falls’
- ‘Amethyst Falls’
- ‘Amethyst Falls’
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Wisteria
- Species:
- frutescens
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern USA, Gulf coast to Arkansas and Kentucky.
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts birds, butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Buffer
- Defines Paths
- Screening
- Textural
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Wildlife Nesting
- Wind Break
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Dense
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Flattened, brown, velvety, bean-like pod. They ripen over the summer from a fuzzy to shiny, smooth when dried. They may split open when ripe, or may remain through the winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Flower Petals:
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Pea-like flowers are lightly fragrant, lavender-purple, and borne in cascading 4 to 6-inch cone-shaped racemes in May re-blooming lightly in the summer.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Pool/Hardscape
- Vertical Spaces
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Barrier
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses