Chinese Wisteria Wisteria sinensis
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
-
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.
- Cultivars:
-
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- 'Prolific'
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- Tags:
- Cultivars:
-
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- 'Prolific'
- 'Blue Sapphire'
- Tags:
-
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Wisteria
- Species:
- sinensis
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- 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
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- 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
- Purple/Lavender
- 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
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- compound odd-pinnate deep green leaves (7-13 leaflets)
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Weedy
- Wisteria sinensis is often confused with:
-
Wisteria floribunda
- Native alternative(s) for Wisteria sinensis:
-
Wisteria frutescens
- Plants that fill a similar niche:
-
Akebia quinata
-
Mahonia bealei
- Pleiodlastus variegatus
