Chinese Wisteria Wisteria sinensis
- Phonetic Spelling
- wis-TEER-ee-uh sy-NEN-sis
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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This vine is considered invasive in the southeast. A strong vine that needs space and sturdy supports, with full sun for best flowering. In spring, 6-12 inch racemes of mildly fragrant blue-violet pea-shaped flowers bloom almost simultaneously, producing a very showy display. After bloom, drooping clusters of velvety seed pods persist into fall.
Wisteria occurs on wet or dry sites and forms very dense thickets. This invasive vine colonizes by twining and covering trees and shrubs and by runners sprouting at nodes. Regular pruning is required for shaping and to control rampant growth and invasive tendency. Stems become twisted and trunk-like and massive over time.
This vine differs from its counterpart Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) by counter-clockwise twining, fewer leaflets per leaf, and shorter flower racemes that are somewhat less fragrant.
Blooms in late-spring before or just as the leaves appear; is a rampant, invasive weedy vine naturalizing in the south; requires heavy pruning and vigilance to keep tidy; may be injured by a late frost; can be pruned to tree form, trellised (needs heavy support); can be hard to keep flowering.
Quick ID
- Twining, woody vine with pinnately compound leaves
- Pea-type flowers in pendulous chains in spring
- Persistent, brownish, bean-like pods, 4-6 inches
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Blue Sapphire'
- 'Prolific'
- 'White Diamond'
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- 'Prolific'
- 'White Diamond'
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Wisteria
- Species:
- sinensis
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China
- Wildlife Value:
- Very few wildlife species use wisteria because of the large seed size.
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Weed
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- 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)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- After bloom, drooping clusters of velvety seed pods persist into fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 6-12 inch racemes of mildly fragrant blue-violet pea-shaped flowers bloom almost simultaneously, producing a very showy display. Inflorescence is a raceme, terminal or axillary, pendulous, 4-8 inches.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, 7-13 leaflets; leaflets elliptic to ovate, acute, broad cuneate, entire, pubescent on midrib beneath.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stem is brown-gray, woody, twining.
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Landscape:
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Weedy
