I love wisteria. The way it lazily winds around trees and trellis’, its lovely violet petals like grapes on a vine……this is one of my favorite spring flowers.
Planning to include this beautiful vine in my plantings led me to do a bit of research. Did you know that wisteria is in the “pea” family? I didn’t!
This vine grows wild throughout the Eastern United States as well as in Asia….China and Japan specifically where ornamental types are held in high esteem.
I always picture a Victorian garden, wisteria draping over an arbor under which sits a lovely table and chairs for serving tea.
I find this vine most beautiful in its natural state, untrained and growing wild all around the island.
It doesn’t have a long season, but while it is in full bloom…..I’m happy!
2 Responses
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Rebcca Says:
Are you aware that this is considered an undesirable plant in Georgia and cannot be sold legally?
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Melissa Says:
I did a bit of research and you are right about the Chinese and Japanese varieties of wisteria. BUT the kind I like is what is indigenous to Georgia and it is not illegal to grow or sell. Here is the “passage” from the Georgia Gardner Newsletter where I found the information: “Japanese and Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda, W. sinensis) can kill anything they climb. If you must have wisteria, plant Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls,’ which is native to the Southeastern U.S. Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) seeds so prolifically that it will have hundreds of offspring very quickly. Mimosas also are susceptible to a root-rot fungus which could eventually jump species and infect other plants, especially those in the same family (Fabaceae) which consists of most legumes.” I do see that the Mimosa, the family in which our native Wisteria is identified with, can have a sort of root-rot that could “eventually” cause a problem. I am not going to plant this in my garden for now. I will, however, continue to enjoy seeing it in its wild presence on the island. Thank you for your comment.
