Chinese Wisteria Wisteria sinensis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- wis-TEER-ee-uh sy-NEN-sis
- 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.
Chinese wisteria is a deciduous, climbing, woody vine in the Fabaceae (bean) family and native to China. This plant has rapid growth and is considered an invasive weed. Wisteria will grow 10 to 20 feet high and 4 to 30 feet wide. It twines in a counterclockwise direction around its support.
Chinese wisteria needs full to partial sun and moist clay to sandy soil with good drainage. It prefers slightly acidic soils and can grow on wet or dry sites, forming very dense thickets. Wisteria needs space and sturdy supports. Propagate by grafting, layering, or stem cutting. Once planted, this plant does not take well to transplanting. Choose your site wisely. It can be slow to become established. Flowers may not produce until the 2nd or 3rd year after planting, sometimes much longer. Regular pruning is required for shaping and to control rampant growth and invasive tendency. Pruning the roots in the fall may lead to more abundant flowers the next spring.
In spring, 6- to 12-inch racemes of mildly fragrant blue-violet pea-shaped flowers bloom almost simultaneously, producing a very showy display. The flowers are edible. After blooming, drooping clusters of velvety seed pods persist into fall. Stems become twisted, trunk-like, and massive over time.
Quick ID
- Counterclockwise-twining, woody vine with pinnately compound leaves.
- Pea-type flowers in pendulous chains in spring, before the leaves fully emerge.
- Persistent, brownish, velvety, bean-like pods, 4 to 6 inches long.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This invasive plant has no significant insect or disease problems, but a late spring frost can cause damage. Please choose native plants. Some alternatives are listed to the left.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Blue Sapphire'
- 'Jako'
White flowers - 'Prolific'
Typically flowers at a earlier age than other varieties. - 'White Diamond'
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- 'Blue Sapphire', 'Jako', 'Prolific', 'White Diamond'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- 'Jako'
White flowers - 'Prolific'
Typically flowers at a earlier age than other varieties. - 'White Diamond'
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- 'Blue Sapphire', 'Jako', 'Prolific', 'White Diamond'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Wisteria
- Species:
- sinensis
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Grafting
- Layering
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China
- Distribution:
- Eastern USA
- Wildlife Value:
- Very few wildlife species use wisteria because of the large seed size, whoever does attract butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Buffer
- Defines Paths
- Fragrance
- Screening
- Textural
- Wind Break
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Edibility:
- Flowers edible raw or cooked (stems removed).
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Weed
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Creeping
- Dense
- 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)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- 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:
- Edible
- 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 Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- 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 Brown
- 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:
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
