Wisteria
A vigorous deciduous climbing vine that needs a genuinely strong support structure such as a pergola or wall, full sun for the best flowering, and only moderate water once established, becoming drought-tolerant when mature. Seed-grown wisteria is notoriously slow to first flower, often taking 5-10+ years, while grafted or cutting-grown cultivars flower much sooner, typically within 2-3 years - an important distinction when choosing a plant. Relatively pest and disease-free; the main real problem gardeners hit is failure to flower, usually caused by over-feeding with nitrogen or incorrect pruning rather than pests or disease. Its root system is aggressive and can damage foundations or underground pipes if planted too close to structures. Seeds and pods are mildly toxic if ingested.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 300cm
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 10m
- Flowering season
- Sep, Oct, Nov
- Attracts wildlife
- Bees
- Evergreen
- No, deciduous
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: June-August. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: June-July.
Growing stages
Germination & plantingWinter
- Choose a grafted or cutting-grown plant rather than seed-grown if you want flowers within a few years; seed-grown wisteria can take 5-10+ years to first flower
- Install a strong pergola, wall or fence support before planting; this is a vigorous vine that needs something substantial to climb
- Plant well clear of the house and underground pipes; wisteria's aggressive root system can damage foundations or pipework over time
Establishment
- Water regularly while roots establish, even though mature plants become drought-tolerant
- Avoid heavy nitrogen feeding; over-feeding is one of the most common causes of a wisteria that never flowers
- Keep training new growth onto its support as it takes off
Vegetative growth
- A vigorous climber; keep tying in and guiding growth onto its support structure
- Correct pruning, typically in both summer and winter, matters more than feeding for encouraging flowers; poor pruning is a common cause of a wisteria that won't bloom
- Relatively pest and disease-free compared to many garden climbers
Flowering
- Grafted or cutting-grown plants typically flower within 2-3 years; seed-grown plants can take 5-10+ years
- Seeds and pods that follow flowering are mildly toxic if ingested, worth knowing in gardens with children or pets
- Bees are strongly drawn to the flower racemes
Dieback & dormancyWinter
- Deciduous; growth dies back over winter, leaving bare woody stems
- Winter is a good time to prune hard and to check the support structure is coping with the vine's increasing weight
- Keep monitoring root spread near paths, pipes or foundations as the vine matures