Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda)

The plants of the East fascinate me, I admit it. But there are some that have a very vigorous growth, so much so that if you want to plant in the ground it is only recommended to have them in spacious gardens. One of them is the floribunda wisteriaa climber that, as its surname indicates, produces a large number of flowers.

Luckily for many of us though, it tolerates pruning quite well. What’s more, it can be potted without problems. Know her.

Origin and characteristics

It is a deciduous climbing shrub native to Japan that was brought to the United States in 1860, and from there it was gradually introduced to the rest of the temperate regions of the world. It is popularly known as Japanese wisteria, Japanese wisteria, or wisteria. It can reach a height of 30 metersas long as it has support to climb. The leaves are compound, pinnate, 10-30cm long, with 9-13 oblong leaflets 2-6cm long.

The flowers are grouped in hanging clusters that can measure up to 50cm in length.and they are white, purple or blue. It blooms in spring. The fruit is a poisonous, brown and velvety pod 5-10cm long that finish maturing in summer.

Cultivars

There are many cultivars of Wisteria floribunda, but we recommend the following:

• Alba: produces white flowers.
• Ivory tower: produces a large quantity of very fragrant white flowers.
• the longest: produces purple flowers.
• full: produces flowers with a double crown of blue petals.
• Precocious: produces blue-purple flowers. It is a dwarf variety.
• Rosea: produces pink flowers in clusters 50cm long.
• Rubra– Produces dark pink to red flowers.

What are their cares?

If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you provide it with the following care:

• Location: must be in semi-shadow, especially when young. Ideally, it should be in an area where its branches are exposed to the sun as they grow.
• Earth:
  • Garden: the soil must be acidic (pH 4 to 6), rich in organic matter.
  • Pot: substrate for acid plants.
    If you live in a warm-temperate climate, better use volcanic sands (akadama mixed with 30% kiryuzuna, for example).
• Irrigation: frequent. About 4 times a week in summer and a little less the rest of the year. Use rainwater or lime-free.
• Subscriber: with specific fertilizers for acid plants, following the indications specified on the package.
• Multiplication: by seeds and cuttings in spring.
• Pruning: late winter. Remove dry, diseased, weak or broken branches, and those that grow too large must be trimmed.
• Planting or transplanting time: in spring, when the risk of frost has passed. In case of having it in a pot, transplant every 2 years.
• Rusticity: it resists frosts down to -15ºC, although the late ones harm it, especially if it has already begun to flower.

Enjoy your plant 🙂.