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|image=Chinese Wisteria Blütentrauben.JPG

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Wisteria (named for Caspar Wistar, 1761-1818, Professor of Anatomy in the University of Pennsylvania, but spelled Wisteria by Nuttall, author of the genus, the spelling Wistaria being a later adaptation). Leguminosae. Wisteria. Wistaria. Attractive large twiners with pea-shaped flowers, planted for covering porches (Fig. 4004), arbors, and buildings; the noblest of the woody vines for temperate regions.

Wisteria (named for Caspar Wistar, 1761-1818, Professor of Anatomy in the University of Pennsylvania, but spelled Wisteria by Nuttall, author of the genus, the spelling Wistaria being a later adaptation). Leguminosae. Wisteria. Wistaria. Attractive large twiners with pea-shaped flowers, planted for covering porches, arbors, and buildings; the noblest of the woody vines for temperate regions.

Stout vines, often attaining great age and with woody trunks reaching several inches in diam.: lvs. odd-pinnate, alternate, with 9-13 lfts.: fls. blue, lilac, purplish, or white, in long drooping racemes, in late spring and early summer; calyx bell-shaped, somewhat 2-lipped from the 3 lower teeth being longer than the 2 upper ones; standard large, reflexed, narrowed below and typically with 2 callosities or appendages at base; wings falcate, auricled at base; keel obtuse, scythe-shaped; stamens diadelphous: fr. an elongated 2- valved torulose pod.—The recognized species are 2 in the eastern U. S., and 4 in eastern Asia. Under the American Code, the genus takes the name Kraunhia; the name Bradleia has also been applied. The so-called "evergreen wisteria" is Millettia megasperma, described on page 2706, Vol. V. The species of Wisteria are so much confused in domestication that few portraits of them are cited in the following account.

Stout vines, often attaining great age and with woody trunks reaching several inches in diam.: lvs. odd-pinnate, alternate, with 9-13 lfts.: fls. blue, lilac, purplish, or white, in long drooping racemes, in late spring and early summer; calyx bell-shaped, somewhat 2-lipped from the 3 lower teeth being longer than the 2 upper ones; standard large, reflexed, narrowed below and typically with 2 callosities or appendages at base; wings falcate, auricled at base; keel obtuse, scythe-shaped; stamens diadelphous: fr. an elongated 2- valved torulose pod.—The recognized species are 2 in the eastern U. S., and 4 in eastern Asia. Under the American Code, the genus takes the name Kraunhia; the name Bradleia has also been applied. The so-called "evergreen wisteria" is Millettia megasperma, described on page 2706, Vol. V. The species of Wisteria are so much confused in domestication that few portraits of them are cited in the following account.

The Japanese wisteria (W. floribunda) is one of the best and commonest of hardy climbers. It has pale green pinnate foliage and bears profusely of dense drooping clusters of purplish pea-shaped flowers. The clusters are about a foot long. This is the commonest and best form. The variations furnish the connoisseur with variety in habit, color, and season of bloom, but they are not as prolific, and doubling adds nothing to the beauty of the flowers. Moreover, the double flowers decay quickly in wet weather.

The Japanese wisteria (W. floribunda) is one of the best and commonest of hardy climbers. It has pale green pinnate foliage and bears profusely of dense drooping clusters of purplish pea-shaped flowers. The clusters are about a foot long. This is the commonest and best form. The variations furnish the connoisseur with variety in habit, color, and season of bloom, but they are not as prolific, and doubling adds nothing to the beauty of the flowers. Moreover, the double flowers decay quickly in wet weather.

The wisterias bloom in May and usually give a smaller crop of flowers in August or September. The spring crop is borne on spurs, while the autumn crop is borne on terminal shoots of the season. There are several ideas about training a wisteria. A good way is to let it alone. This produces rugged twisted and picturesque branches and gives a certain oriental effect, but it is not the best method for covering a wall-space solidly or for making the best display of bloom. To cover a wall completely it is necessary to keep the leaders taut and to train outside branches wherever they are needed. If quantity of bloom is the first consideration, the vines should be pruned back every year to spurs, a common method in Japan. The low one-storied Japanese building will have a wisteria so trained that the vine follows the eaves all around the house. The foliage is all above, and the yard-long clusters of purple blossoms depend therefrom in solid unbroken linear masses two or three ranks deep. When trained as a standard, the wisteria requires much care. A fine standard is figured in G.F. 6:256 and Gng. 1:321, where directions may be found. "When young plants of wisteria are cut back to a height of 6 or 8 feet and pruned in for some years, the stem will stiffen until it is able to stand alone, and the top will spread out into a broad head."

The wisterias bloom in May and usually give a smaller crop of flowers in August or September. The spring crop is borne on spurs, while the autumn crop is borne on terminal shoots of the season. There are several ideas about training a wisteria. A good way is to let it alone. This produces rugged twisted and picturesque branches and gives a certain oriental effect, but it is not the best method for covering a wall-space solidly or for making the best display of bloom. To cover a wall completely it is necessary to keep the leaders taut and to train outside branches wherever they are needed. If quantity of bloom is the first consideration, the vines should be pruned back every year to spurs, a common method in Japan. The low one-storied Japanese building will have a wisteria so trained that the vine follows the eaves all around the house. The foliage is all above, and the yard-long clusters of purple blossoms depend therefrom in solid unbroken linear masses two or three ranks deep. When trained as a standard, the wisteria requires much care. "When young plants of wisteria are cut back to a height of 6 or 8 feet and pruned in for some years, the stem will stiffen until it is able to stand alone, and the top will spread out into a broad head."

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==Cultivation==

| color = lightgreen

''Wisteria'', especially ''Wisteria sinensis'', is very hardy and fast-growing. It is considered an [[invasive species]] in certain areas. It can grow in fairly poor-quality soils, but prefers fertile, moist, well-drained ones. It thrives in full sun to partial shade.

| name = ''Wisteria''

| image = wisteria_fl.jpg

| image_caption = Flowering ''Wisteria''

| genus = '''''Wisteria'''''

 

'''''Wisteria''''' is a [[genus]] of about ten species of woody climbing [[vine]]s native to the eastern [[United States]] and the East Asian states of [[China]], [[Korea]], and [[Japan]]. Aquarists refer to the species ''[[Hygrophila difformis]]'', in the genus ''[[Hygrophila]]'', as [[Water Wisteria]].

 

''Wisteria'' vines climb by twining their [[Plant stem|stem]]s either [[Clockwise and counterclockwise|clockwise]] or [[counter-clockwise]] round any available support. They can climb as high as 20 [[metre|m]] above ground and spread out 10 m laterally.

 

The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternate, 15 to 35 [[centimetre|cm]] long, pinnate, with 9 to 19 leaflets. The [[flower]]s are produced in pendulous [[raceme]]s 10 to 80 cm long, similar to those of the genus ''[[Laburnum]]'', but are purple, violet, pink or white, not yellow. Flowering is in the spring (just before or as the leaves open) in some Asian species, and in mid to late summer in the American species and ''W. japonica''. The flowers of some species are fragrant, most notably Chinese Wisteria. The [[seed]]s are produced in pods similar to those of laburnum, and, like that genus, are [[poison]]ous.

The genus was named after Daniel Wister who helped underwrite the voyage of the American commercial vessel Empress of China. The spelling ''Wisteria'' is [[nomen conservandum|conserved]] under the [[International Code of Botanical Nomenclature]].

''Wisteria'' can be propagated via hardwood cutting, softwood cuttings, or seed. However, seeded specimens can take decades to bloom; for that reason, [[gardener]]s usually grow plants that have been started from rooted cuttings or grafted [[cultivar]]s known to flower well. Another reason for failure to bloom can be excessive fertilizer (particularly [[nitrogen]]). ''Wisteria'' has nitrogen fixing capability (provided by [[Rhizobia]] bacteria in root nodules), and thus mature plants may benefit from added [[potassium]] and [[phosphate]], but not nitrogen. Finally, ''wisteria'' can be reluctant to bloom because it has not reached maturity. Maturation may require only a few years, as in Kentucky Wisteria, or nearly twenty, as in Chinese Wisteria. Maturation can be forced by physically abusing the main [[Trunk (botany)|trunk]], root pruning, or [[drought]] stress.

''Wisteria'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[brown-tail]]. It is also an extremely popular ornamental in [[China]] and [[Japan]].  

''Wisteria'' can grow into a mound when unsupported, but is at its best when allowed to clamber up a [[tree]], [[pergola]], [[wall]], or other supporting structure. Whatever the case, the support must be very sturdy, because old ''wisteria'' can grow into immensely strong and heavy wrist-thick [[Trunk (botany)|trunk]]s and [[Plant stem|stem]]s. These will certainly rend [[latticework]], crush thin wooden posts, and can even strangle large trees. Wisteria allowed to grow on houses can cause damage to gutters, downspouts, and similar structures. Its pendulous racemes are best viewed from below.  

''Wisteria'' can grow into a mound when unsupported, but is at its best when allowed to clamber up a [[tree]], [[pergola]], [[wall]], or other supporting structure. Whatever the case, the support must be very sturdy, because old ''wisteria'' can grow into immensely strong and heavy wrist-thick [[Trunk (botany)|trunk]]s and [[Plant stem|stem]]s. These will certainly rend [[latticework]], crush thin wooden posts, and can even strangle large trees. Its pendulous racemes are best viewed from below.

===Pests and diseases===

==Species==

==Species==

* ''[[Hygrophila difformis]]'' - Water Wisteria

* ''[[Hygrophila difformis]]'' - Water Wisteria

==References==

==Gallery==

<gallery>  

<gallery perrow=5>

Image:Wisteria Sinensis trained along a wall.jpg|''Wisteria sinensis'' trained to grow up and along a building wall.

Image:Wisteria Sinensis trained along a wall.jpg|''Wisteria sinensis'' trained to grow up and along a building wall.

Image:Wisteria floribunda1.jpg|''Wisteria floribunda''

Image:Wisteria floribunda1.jpg|''Wisteria floribunda''

Image:Wisteria floribunda5.jpg|''Wisteria floribunda''

Image:Wisteria floribunda2.jpg|''Wisteria floribunda''

Image:Wisteria floribunda3.jpg|''Wisteria floribunda''

Image:OzarkWisteria1.JPG|''Ozark Wisteria''

Image:OzarkWisteria1.JPG|''Ozark Wisteria''

Image:OzarkWisteria2.jpg|''Ozark Wisteria''

Image:OzarkWisteria2.jpg|''Ozark Wisteria''

Image:Aa wisteria spruce 00.jpg|''Wisteria'' in flower climbing up a [[spruce]] tree

Image:Aa wisteria spruce 00.jpg|''Wisteria'' in flower climbing up a [[spruce]] tree

Image:Wisteria Japonica.jpg|''Wisteria Japonica''

Image:Wisteria Japonica.jpg|''Wisteria Japonica''

</gallery>

</gallery>