Care and cultivation of wisteria rewards the grower with an amazing sight during flowering - like raindrops gently pouring from the sky, playing with lilac-purple reflections.
A piece of the Japanese Ashikaga park with flowing clusters of inflorescences is quite possible to grow in your own summer cottage in a temperate climate, because certain varieties of vines are quite frost-resistant.
Blooming wisteria has a pleasant aroma for the whole area and, no doubt, creates a romantic mood even for hardened skeptics.
In addition to decorative purposes, the plant is also very useful - its foliage has the most valuable antibiotic properties and releases phytoncides into the air that can suppress the development of even a tubercle bacillus.
Once having seen live how wisteria blooms, it is impossible to deny yourself the desire to grow this miracle next to your home.
Botanical portrait: what makes a plant attractive
Wisterias are tree lianas from the legume family, native to China, Japan, and Korea; some species were introduced and introduced in the eastern United States and ran wild there. In ornamental horticulture, they are grown all over the world, but prefer the humid climate of the subtropics.
Translated from Greek, the name of the plant sounds like "sweet" and is associated with the fragrant smell of flowers. The synonym "wisteria", repeating the Latin name Wisteria, is associated with the surname of the American scientist K. Wistar.
Fast-growing wisteria pagons can rise up to 20 m, and spread up to 10 m in length. The world's largest representative of the genus, planted in 1894 in the Sierra Madre of California, covers an area of 0.40 hectares and weighs almost 250 tons. The leaves of the plant are odd-pinnate, 15 to 35 cm long, arranged alternately along the pagons, consist of 9-19 lobules.
The real wealth of lianas are lush domed inflorescences-brushes with a length of 30-50 cm, in some varieties they reach 80 cm, drooping down.
Flowers are usually lilac-blue in color with a violet at the base of the petals, but there are also pink or white. Blossom in spring before foliage appears.
The seeds ripen in long, thin pods and are poisonous - they contain significant levels of glycerin.
Types and varieties of wisteria with names and photos
According to various sources, the genus Wisteria, or wisteria, includes 9 or 10 species of spectacular flowering plants:
Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) - lignified plant stems reach a height of 20-25 m.
Around the supports are twisted counterclockwise. Young pagons are pubescent, then the whitish villi disappear.
Leaves are pinnate, consist of 7-13 fragmentary lobules of a narrow-ovoid shape. Brushes are formed in the axils of the leaves or at the tops of biennial shoots.
Flowers are small, only 2-2.5 cm long, moth type, usually blue-violet, but there are also forms with white corollas.
Fruits are densely pubescent beans with 1-3 shiny brownish seeds. Blooms in April-May. Medium-hardy plant that can withstand 20-degree frosts.
Unusually decorative varieties:
Chinese Wisteria Blue Sapphire - with stunningly delicate blue-blue flowers;
Chinese wisteria Alba (Alba) - garden form with snow-white flowering;
Chinese Wisteria Prolific is an early-flowering variety with bluish-purple corollas. Dissolves the brushes already in the 2nd or 3rd year after planting.
Abundant wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) - also known under the synonym Japanese wisteria.
The pagons grow in length from 9 to 30 m.
Leaves are shiny, pinnately-compound, about 10-30 cm long, consist of 9-13 oblong leaves 2-6 cm in size.
The flower clusters are impressive - with corollas of pink, white, purple or blue, and they smell like grapes.
They bloom very early, which is why they freeze in temperate climates. The velvety brown pods contain 2-3 seeds.
The species has about 20 garden forms and varieties, awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society of London. Among them:
Black Dragon (Black Dragon) - with blue-violet flowers of an unusual shape;
Pink Ice, Rosea, or Honbeni - with pale pink petals covered with a purple sail;
Issai Perfect - with light lavender flowers;
- Macrobotrys or Longissima - with reddish-purple flower clusters 1 m or longer;
- Praecox or Domino - purple flowers.
Shrub wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) - is called American wisteria among flower growers.
It differs from its Asian relatives in shorter tassels (only 5-15 cm) of blue-purple two-faced flowers no more than 2 cm in size, which do not have a scent.
The crown consists of shiny dark green, pinnately compound leaves 10-30 cm long, which have 9-15 oblong leaflets.
The seeds are large and brown and ripen in smooth pods.
Wisteria macrostachia, or large-leaved (Wisteria macrostachya) - previously a form of shrubby wisteria, found in the southeastern United States - Kentucky, which was later identified as a separate species.
Differs in larger inflorescences.
In temperate climates, the frost-hardy variety Wisteria Blue Moon, or Wisteria Blue Moon, is popular with graceful lavender-blue clusters that shine with a silvery sheen at dusk.
Varieties of wisteria
The following types are known:
Chinese, blooming with light shades of purple inflorescences up to 30 cm. Sometimes up to 20 meters, with a dense leafy crown. Flowering is observed throughout the summer. The fruits are beans with a length of 15 cm. This variety loves warmth and grows in the south of the Russian Federation. When pruned, it can be shaped like a small tree.
multiflorous (floribunda), with purple and blue inflorescences, having abundant flowering. Plant length up to 10 meters. Brushes are half a meter in size. Flowering begins a couple of weeks later than Chinese, tolerates frost down to -23 degrees C °.
the next variety of wisteria - "beautiful" (Wisteria venusta) is distinguished by increased decorativeness, since its flowers are double, have a white, pink or lilac color. Grows up to 10 meters. The inflorescences are 20 cm in size, the same beans. Flowering occurs in May and ends in June.
shrubby wisteria blooms in shades of blue and purple. Grows up to 12 meters, found in the Crimea. Convenient for container growing.
Japanese wisteria (Wisteria japonica) is characterized by white flowers. The aesthetic properties are not as outstanding as in the previous species. It does not differ in resistance to frost either. It can be found in the Caucasus, near the Black Sea.
the yellow wisteria is worth mentioning. If other species are called rain and rain of flowers, then yellow wisteria is called "golden chains" or golden rain. According to experienced gardeners, this species is the last to bloom. The plant, known as the "anagirolisia bean", blooms with yellow flowing buds, has decent frost resistance, but is also unpretentious in the dry season. Presenting not very great demands on the condition of the soil, a very perennial plant can only be on moist and fertile soil, without excess water. Loves the sun, blooms in May with inflorescences up to 40 cm, ending flowering in June, for about 20 days. Does not like the wind, because it is a deciduous plant. For sowing seeds, stratification is required (temperature change in the form of cold for 3 months).
Also, some hybrids are known that combine the properties of the two species.
Where and how to plant wisteria correctly
Choosing a location for wisteria is considered a very important factor in growing vines.
This is not a plant that you can plant and forget about it. It should be before your eyes in order to control its development in time, because powerful pagons are able to destroy the support and harm the neighboring garden flora.
The soil for wisteria needs fertile and moist, and it is advisable to choose a place in a sunny corner of the garden plot, which would be illuminated with bright rays for at least 6 hours a day.
The plant looks very good in front of the entrance to the terrace or next to the porch leading to the house, near the pergola or gazebo.
However, it must be remembered that the horizontal slabs for the supports supporting the liana pagons must be made of durable material.
The shoots of wisteria look spectacular, draping a bare wall without windows, but there is also a warning here - with age, heavy lignified shoots can damage drainpipes, and they use any crack in the wall to develop and spread upwards.
Planting wisteria is carried out on well-drained soil, through which water can easily seep.
The right time is spring or autumn.
The hole is dug with a depth commensurate with the root ball, but about 2-3 times wider.
The distance between the supports for the vine should be 3-4.5 m.
The soil selected from the pit is mixed with compost and some mineral fertilizers with a low nitrogen content are added.
The root system of the plant is placed in the center of the hole so that the base of the stem is at the same level with the ground or slightly higher - the earth will settle and the seedling will not go too deep.
Description and features of the plant
Wisteria, or, as it is also called, Wisteria (lat.wisteria sinensis) is a treelike southern climbing plant that belongs to the legume genus. It is often called lucinia or glyceria, but such names are not correct and are not used among gardeners. The flower is especially decorative. He is often depicted in Chinese painting.
In nature, the wisteria tree looks like a deciduous liana with a height of up to 20 meters. Indoor wisteria usually grows up to 60-100 cm. As a rule, it is grown at home in the form of an interior bonsai tree. In the garden, the growth of decorative wisteria stops after a mark of 3-5 m.
A blooming wisteria tree is distinguished by cluster-like inflorescences of lilac or white up to 300 mm long.
Typically, the tree begins to bloom in spring. It was during this period that Japan, the country in which it is especially popular, is painted in purple tones. The flowering period is 2 to 4 months, depending on the place in which it is cultivated. It blooms especially for a long time in warm, humid climates. Due to its attractive appearance, it is actively used in landscape design.
So, on a personal plot, a tree is grown with the aim of:
- Decor for gazebos, balconies, terraces;
- Production of hedges, decoration of fences;
- Creation of decorative structures (for example, arches) on the garden plot.
Due to the curly structure, with the help of a plant, they often decorate the facades of private houses and outbuildings. Wisteria can effectively mask an unattractive building wall. In addition, the flower can be used as a zoning element for the site.
Care rules
Caring for wisteria consists in the necessary moistening and loosening of the near-stem space, feeding, as well as in timely pruning.
Watering and feeding
It is necessary to water the plant when the earth around the root collar dries out deeper than 3-5 cm. Wisteria loves moisture, but stagnation of water near the root system is undesirable.
Wisteria is fed several times during the growing season, but nitrogen is not included in the dressing - this is not necessary.
Like all legumes, the plant accumulates it from the air with the help of nodule bacteria, and an excess of nitrogen will lead to a lack of flowering.
In the spring, compost is added under the plant and the peri-stem circle is covered with a layer of mulch 5 cm thick to retain moisture and control the growth of weeds.
Some gardeners, in order to promote more active flowering, fertilize the soil around the plant with bone meal in the spring, and with a small amount of phosphate in the fall.
The need for pruning wisteria
The secret of a good flowering vine is pruning, since the buds of the plant are formed on new growths of the current year.
The first pruning is done at the end of winter - they remove up to half the length of last year's shoots, leaving only a few buds on them.
If there is a need to create a more compact crown, then it is cut off in the summer after flowering.
Too intensively growing unbridled shoots are cut every two weeks until the end of summer.
Pruning of wisteria is not done in the fall.
Some gardeners practice removing the bottom pagon by securing the main stem to form the crown of the wisteria tree.
This method of cultivation has its advantages - you do not have to spend money on the construction of a structure that serves as a reliable support for heavy pagons.
Preparing for winter
Adult specimens do not need shelter for the winter, and this is problematic for plants that already have significant dimensions.
In temperate latitudes, they try to use frost-resistant wisteria to decorate parks and private households.
However, young seedlings suffer from a drop in temperature more than mature plants of the same species or variety.
That is why in the first years of life, whenever possible, their pagons are removed from their supports, laid on the ground and covered with fallen leaves or spruce branches.
In the spring, they do not delay in order to remove the shelter, otherwise the wisteria will squeeze.
Reproduction of wisteria
Liana is propagated by layering in spring and summer, by cuttings and seeds - only in spring.
Experienced nursery specialists grow the plant by grafting.
Wisteria from seed
Planting material is sown in greenhouses in late November or early December, or sown directly in open ground in early spring, in March.
The soil mixture for crops is made up of 4 parts of leafy soil and 1 part of sod soil and sand are taken.
The seeds are laid out on the surface of the substrate, sprinkled with sand, watered, covered with film or glass on top and placed in a completely dark place with a constant temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius.
The first shoots hatch after 20-30 days.
After one or one and a half weeks, containers with crops are placed in a lighted place, but at first they are shaded from the sun's rays.
When 2 true leaves are formed, the seedlings dive along with a clod of earth to the beds for growing.
For the winter, they are reliably covered, they are transplanted to a permanent place not earlier than next spring, or even after another season.
Wisteria grown from seeds do not bloom soon, the longest time during which you will have to wait for a spectacular flowering is about 15 years, so it is advisable to purchase wisteria seedlings that are grown by vegetative methods.
Cutting wisteria
Fragments of annual pagons 15-20 cm long remaining after early spring pruning will fit into cuttings.
For rooting, a substrate is prepared, consisting of 3 parts of sod soil and 1 part of sand, humus and peat soil taken.
Leaves are removed from the lower part of the cutting, 2-3 pieces are left at the top.
The lowest node from the removed leaves should be at a height of 8-12 mm from the cut made at an angle of 45 degrees.
A hole 5 cm deep is made in the soil mixture and a cutting is placed there, tamping the ground around.
Cover it from above with a plastic bag, cut off a plastic bottle or glass jar and put it in a bright place.
They regularly monitor that the soil mixture does not dry out.
Rooting takes place within 4-8 weeks. Vines grown by cuttings can delight with beautiful fragrant inflorescences already 4-5 years after planting.
Propagation of wisteria by layering
A strong annual shoot is chosen as a layer in the spring and a small oblique incision is made in the middle of its length.
Substitute the pot under this place with fertile clay-sod soil, fix the shoot in it with a wire staple and sprinkle it with soil. The top of the pagon is lifted up and tied to the support.
They are regularly moistened throughout the summer, and in the last days of August, a seedling with a fairly well-formed root system is cut off from the mother vine and planted in a permanent place of growth.
It also blooms much earlier than wisteria grown from seeds.
Growing outdoors and at home
Temperature
Wisteria is a thermophilic plant, the optimum temperature for which is 18 degrees. therefore growing wisteria outdoors is possible only in regions with mild winters... In colder areas, the flower can be grown in a tub. In the fall, the plant is brought into a room where the temperature will be within 10 degrees. In the summer, they are again taken out into the open air.
Important! Temperatures below 20 degrees below zero are fatal to wisteria.
Watering
The flower does not like excessive watering, this can lead to the shedding of leaves and buds. If the spring is dry, wisteria is watered abundantly, from the beginning of flowering to autumn, watering is reduced so that the soil is moist. In hot weather, it is better to spray. In the fall, watering is practically stopped.
Shine
Wisteria is a light-loving plant. Ideal for the location of the flower, southern windows or a glazed balcony.
Priming
The flower loves fertile and well-permeable soil, therefore, the substrate is well loosened before planting. The optimal soil composition for wisteria is: humus, sand, peat, clay and sod soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 3. This mixture contains many nutrients, which promotes vigorous growth and flowering. The plant does not tolerate calcareous and damp soil poorly, therefore it is desirable that there is a drainage for water. In this case, chlorosis can develop - the leaves lose their color and brighten.
Pruning
Pruning must be done to stimulate abundant flowering. The first pruning is done in the summer immediately after the wisteria has faded. All lateral shoots are shortened by a third.
The second pruning is done after the plant has shed its leaves in late fall. All shoots are shortened so that up to 5 buds remain on them. From them flowers are formed in the spring.
You can grow a standard tree. To do this, choose one shoot, and remove the rest. When the shoot reaches a certain height, it is cut off, allowing the crown to form at the top of it.
Top dressing
During the period of bud formation and flowering, the plant is fed with liquid fertilizer once a week. It is advisable to alternate mineral and organic fertilizing.
Pot
For growing wisteria at home, it is best to choose a clay pot. If the plant requires a transplant, the container is selected 2 cm larger in circumference than the previous one. Before planting, it is advisable to wash the pot and scald it with boiling water.
Transfer
It is recommended to transplant a young plant every year in July, an adult - once every three years.
- Previously, the flower is watered abundantly.
- The holes at the bottom of the pot are filled with drainage, then sand is poured, and then filled with earth by about two centimeters.
- The plant is carefully removed from the previous pot without touching the root system.
- The roots are freed from the previous substrate and the plant is placed in the soil layer of the new pot.
- The space between the walls is filled with moist soil.
- At the end of planting, the soil is watered and the flower is placed in a dark place. When the wisteria gets stronger, it is returned to its original place.
Diseases and pests
Among the pests that annoy wisteria are aphids, leaf rollers, mealybugs, and Japanese beetles.
And if it is not so difficult to fight many of them, then the latter are a real disaster for the vine.
Their scientific name is Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica), and they are dangerous in that they gnaw passages in the lignified pagons of the vines, disrupting the supply of water and nutrients to the plant.
Roots are parasitized by nematodes, whose vital activity contributes to the formation of root nodes - galls.
The plant is affected by fungal infections caused by Aplosporella wistariae and Phomatospora wistariae fungi.
It is also susceptible to root rot caused by the fungus Phymatotrichum omnivorum, as a result of the disease, the vine withers and dies.
Other pathogens include Phomlosticta wisteriae and Septoria wisteriae.
The soil bacteria Rhizobium radobacter causes abnormal growths or tumors on roots or stems.
Lianas of the genus Wisteria infect two viruses - wisteria mosaics (a variant of the tobacco mosaic virus) and underground clover mosaics.
Frequently asked question
Gardeners are often worried about the problem - why does wisteria not bloom? The most common reasons and suggested solutions are:
- Seedlings grown from seeds may not bloom for more than 10 years. In order to wait before flowering, you should buy rooted cuttings or grafted plants.
- It will take a long time to wait for the formation of inflorescences after a tough rejuvenating pruning of an old vine.
- Wisteria overfed with nitrogen will bloom either very poorly, or does not form buds at all. If it is necessary to feed the plants grown in the vines near the trunk, it is more desirable to do this after the wisteria has faded.
- Do not forget that the vine loves the sun very much; in the shade or partial shading it will also be difficult to wait for flowering.
Problems with growing wisteria
Although wisteria is not a capricious plant, some problems in growing can be encountered.
1. Wisteria does not bloom at all. First of all, you need to reconsider the growing conditions. In addition, flowering may be absent due to improper feeding or pruning. If you overfeed the plant with nitrogen fertilizers, then the green mass will grow to the detriment of flowering.
2. Wisteria leaves turn yellow and discolored. The plant may be affected by chlorosis. The reason lies in the alkaline soil and the wrong planting location. Feed the plant with iron salts.
3. Wisteria is attacked by aphids or clover mites. Pests are destroyed with insecticides, carrying out preventive and therapeutic spraying.
4. The plant withers and dies. Perhaps the reason lies in excessive soil moisture, insufficient drainage, or high groundwater. If the location is wrong, a transplant will be required.
In addition to all of the above, wisteria suffers from a lack of oxygen at the roots. Loosen the soil regularly to avoid crusting.
The best partners of wisteria in garden design
At the foot of the wisteria, snow-white tulips and daffodils, dark purple hyacinths, yellow daffodils and imperial hazel grouses look perfect.
Garden hibiscus, purslane, large-flowered platycodon, daylilies and other equally beautiful flowers are planted from plants blooming in summer in the vicinity of wisteria.
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Landing rules
It is better to place the plant in a sunny place without drafts. The ideal location is the south side of the site.
Wisteria should be planted in mid-spring, after the ground has warmed up enough. The soil is nutritious and well-drained. Better if it is a neutral or slightly alkaline soil.
For planting seedlings, you need to prepare a hole 60 cm deep, at the bottom of which mineral dressing should be applied.After planting, the plant is well watered. The adaptation period lasts about three years.
