Wisteria floribunda

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Wisteria floribunda in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Wisteria floribunda, DC. (Glycine floribunda, Willd. Wisteria brachybotrys, Sieb. & Zucc. Kraunhia brachybotrys, Greene). Japanese Wisteria. Young lvs. densely covered with straight appressed hairs, but foliage soon glabrous; lfts. 7-9 pairs, ovate-elliptic, rather abruptly acuminate, acute, rounded at base: fls. violet or violet-blue, rather small, in moderately long racemes (or sometimes in short racemes, particularly later in the season, whence the name brachybotrys); standard oblong-orbicular, subcordate at base and auriculate, with a short stipe-like claw; calyx hairy, the 2 upper teeth very short and broad. Common on the margins of woods and along streams in Japan; much cult. there in temple grounds, parks, and gardens; also grown in this country. F.S. 9:880.—From the Chinese wisteria (W. sinensis) it is distinguished by more numerous lfts. which are shed earlier in autumn, much smaller, and 2-3-weeks-later fls., and greater hardiness. It runs into several marked forms. Var. alba (forma alba, Rehd. & Wils. W. multijuga var. alba, Carr.) has white fls. R.H. 1891, p. 421. Var. rosea (forma rosea, Rehd. & Wils.) has rose-colored or pale pink fls. with wings and tip of keel purple. Var. variegata (forma variegata, Rehd. & Wils. W. chinensis var. variegata, Nichols.) has variegated foliage. Var. violaceo-plena (forma violaceo-plena, Rehd. & Wils. W. chinensis var. flore-pleno, Mill.) is a double-fld. form. R.H. 1887:564. Gn. 17, p. 105. F. 1882:557. Var. macrobotrys (forma macrobotrys, Rehd. & Wils. W. macrobotrys, Sieb. W. multijuga, Van Houtte. W. grandiflora, Hort.) has very long racemes, sometimes 2-3 ft.: much prized. F.S. 19:2002. R.H. 1891, p. 176. Under the name W. multijuga Russelliana, a slender-racemed form is shown in Gn. W. 21, suppl. Apr. 2, although the lfts. are not more than 5 pairs. This variety is described as having a purple calyx, soft purple standard deepening in color with age on both faces and a creamy white eye-like blotch on the inner face; wings and keel dark blue, the tip of the keel violet; racemes reach 2 3/4 ft. in length. Named for John Russell, Richmond, Surrey. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

? Japanese Wisteria
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Faboideae Tribe: Millettieae Genus: Wisteria Species: W. floribunda
Binomial name
Wisteria floribunda (Willd.) DC.

Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) is a woody liana of the Wisteria family. It was brought from Japan to the United States in 1860 by George Rogers Hall. Since then, it has become one of the most highly romanticized flowering garden plants. It is also a common subject for bonsai, along with Wisteria sinensis(Chinese wisteria)

The flowering habit of Japanese wisteria is perhaps the most spectacular of the Wisteria family. It sports the longest flower racemes of any wisteria; they can reach nearly half a meter in length. These racemes burst into great trails of clustered white, violet, or blue flowers in early- to mid-spring. The flowers carry a distinctive fragrance similar to that of grapes. The early flowering time of Japanese wisteria can cause problems in temperate climates, where early frosts can destroy the coming years' flowers. It will also flower only after passing from juvenile to adult stage, a transition that may take many frustrating years just like its cousin Chinese Wisteria.

Japanese wisteria can grow over 30m long over many supports via powerful clockwise-twining stems. The foliage consists of shiny, dark-green, pinnately compound leaves 10-30cm in length. The leaves bear 9-13 oblong leaflets that are each 2-6 cm long. It also bears numerous poisonous, brown, velvety, bean-like seed pods 5-10cm long that mature in summer and persist until winter. Japanese wisteria prefers moist soils and full sun in USDA plant hardiness zones 5-9. The plant often lives over fifty years.

W. floribunda cultivars

1. 'Alba' - white flowers
2. 'Carnea' - flesh-pink flowers
3. 'Issai Perfect' - white flowers, produced while the plant is still young
4. 'Ivory Tower' - white flowers, fragrant and numerous
5. 'Lawrence' - blue flowers, hardy cultivar
6. 'Longissima' - light purple flowers, clusters very long
7. 'Longissima Alba' - white flowers in clusters a half-meter long
8. 'Macrobotrys' - reddish-violet flower clusters one meter or longer
9. 'Macrobotrys Cascade' - white and pinkish-purple flowers, vigorous grower
10. 'Plena' - double blue flowers in dense clusters
11. 'Praecox' - blue-purple flowers, dwarf variety
12. 'Purpurea' - purple flowers
13. 'Rosea' - pale rose flowers tipped purple, 18 inches long
14. 'Royal Purple' - purple flowers
15. 'Rubra'- deep pink to red flowers
16. 'Snow Showers' - white flowers with a lilac tinge
17. 'Texas Purple' - purple flowers, produced while the plant is still young
18. 'Violacea Plena' - double violet flowers, rosette-shaped

External links

• Japanese Wisteria at MSU
• Japanese Wisteria as a pest
• University of Ohio fact sheet for Wisteria family
• http://database.dotflowers.com/item-japanese-wisteria.html

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