Chinese Wisteria
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

A climbing vine, to 30' high (occasionally to 40-80') and 5-10' wide, or can be trained into a tree form w/ a flattened top. Not as aggressive and spreading as the Japanese Wisteria. Fast growth rate. Long-lived, over 100 years.

Native Range

Native to China. Introduced into cultivation in 1816.

Flower and Fruit Details

Mildly fragrant, 1", monoecious, pea-like flowers in May, in showy 6-12" drooping racemes, blue-violet on old wood, before leaves emerge. All flowers on one raceme open at the same time. Initial flowering sometimes takes 2-5 years. The fruit is a flattened, velvety, 4-6" long, brown legume seed pod, ripening in the summer, poisonous to humans, and with very low wildlife value. Pods split open in the fall. One to 3 seeds.

Leaf and Bark Features

Deciduous: The 10-12" long, alternate, compound, odd-pinnate leaves each w/ 7-13 (usually 11) lance-shaped, ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, deep green, 2-4" acuminate leaflets, w/ hairy midrib beneath. New growth may be bronze or purplish. No fall color. Bark is brownish-gray in color. Woody trunks get several inches in diameter.

Culture and Care

Full sun=best flowering; tolerates shade, but won't flower much there. Prefers acid, organic, fertile, moist, well-drained soil; tolerates clay. Needs pH 6.1-7.5. Avoid transplanting. Tolerant of compaction & poor drainage. Zone 5(4)-9(8). Tolerates heat/drought/salt. Prune to control size/shape & to promote flowering. High phosphorus fertilizer in early spring will also help w/ this, as will root pruning. Leaf spot, powdery mildew diseases and bacterial stem gall are occasional problems. A few leaf-chewing insects, i.e. Japanese beetles.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Flowers attract hummingbirds. 3-season interest: Spring, summer & fall. All parts of the plant contain the glycoside, wisterin, toxic if ingested. Suckers, layers and spreads. Is invasive in parts of the S.E. U.S. Early blooms may be damaged by freezing temperatures. Genus name honors Caspar Wistar (1761-1818), professor of plant anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania. This vine twines counter-clockwise.

Suggested Uses

This species has been determined to be invasive in parts of the United States. Thoroughly research potential impacts to local native habitats before planting.
A good choice for free-standing trellises, pergolas, fences, terrace walls, and arbors. Nice over patios.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA