Wisteria Chinese care at home. Wisteria - a purple waterfall at the country porch, or all the details of growing creepers

Among the plants, there is probably nothing more spectacular than flowering climbing vines. They are so elegant that they can turn a wall of a house, a fence, any garden into a living holiday. As a rule, such representatives of the decorative flora have many varieties that strive to overtake each other in terms of external attractiveness. You can give a wonderful example of such a beautifully flowering liana shrub - or wisteria. The most common type of it is called Chinese wisteria.

General information about the wisteria plant

Wisteria is in culture with early XIX century. It was named after the American anatomist Caspar Wister. In Europe, the plant first appeared in the middle of the XVIII century. It was a specific type of wisteria - W. fructesceens, and the starting point was the North American continent. In 1815, the Old World learned about Chinese wisteria, which was brought from the Celestial Empire, the historical homeland of culture. In general, the cradle of wisteria has many faces, since it has its own for each variety of plant. Geographically, these are river coasts and tropical rainforests.

Wisteria is a member of the legume family., in other words, it is a direct relative of ordinary beans, green peas and peanuts. She acquired the second name "wisteria", probably just because of her belonging to the above green clan, because most of the fruits of legumes really have a sweetish taste, especially when raw. The reason could be the breathtaking appearance of the blooming wisteria. Its fruits, by the way, are elongated, gray-yellow, flat beans, moreover, poisonous.

In height, plants of the genus Wisteria reach, as a rule, 15-20 m, their racemose inflorescences are also rather big - 15-20 cm. Fragrant flowers of various colors are collected in the latter: purple, purple, yellow, white, blue, pink, etc. Beautiful and dense foliage, consisting of long - 30-45 cm - pinnate vegetative organs, lightly pubescent in adulthood and densely - at a young age. Wisteria has impressive dimensions: its total weight sometimes exceeds 34 kg. The flowering of culture occurs at the end of spring - the beginning of summer, in European countries it occurs a little earlier.

As for the directly common type of Chinese wisteria, the following parameters can be noted here:

• plant height is within 20 m;
• the stems curl around the support in a clockwise direction;
• leaves are compound, pinnate, long (30 cm);
• racemose inflorescences of about the same length;
• panicled reproductive organs on the plant appear at the time of the appearance of the leaves;
• within the framework of inflorescences, the buds bloom all at the same time;
• secondary flowering occurs in late summer - early autumn, it is less lush compared to the first.

Wisteria can also be seen here, in Russia, in the southern regions: on the Black Sea coast Krasnodar Territory, Crimean peninsula. And although, according to climatic preferences, wisteria is unlikely to take root in the more northern regions of the country, it is still worth trying to breed it there.

Growth and development of wisteria

Of course, wisteria requires certain conditions of detention, and your task as a grower is to provide their culture to the maximum.

• Light mode.
  Wisteria is a photophilous plant. Despite this, the culture is recommended to be kept/cultivated in a place where there is more penumbra throughout the day. You can achieve diffused light by shading the windows in a room with a wisteria, if the exotic is located all year round in a house or greenhouse, and not in the open ground outside the apartment. A small amount of direct sunlight is allowed, so the best place for wisteria - the southern sector.

• Temperature regime.
  The elegant beauty of wisteria belongs to winter-hardy species. It withstands temperatures down to -20º in winter. True, Chinese wisteria is still less stable in this regard than, say, its opponent, Wisteria luxuriant. In summer, there should be no drafts in the room with the plant. If the crop is planted in open ground, this place must be protected from the winds. Too high air temperatures for the cultivation of Chinese wisteria are not welcome. Winter minimum +10º.
• Air humidity.
  Wisteria needs an average level of content in surrounding plants atmosphere of water vapor. For this purpose, the culture is periodically sprayed, on hot summer days more often than usual. Use a spray bottle and settled water.
• Substrate quality and capacity.
  Wisteria prefers fertile soil with a lot of humus and nutrients - mainly loam and black soil. Wetlands, as well as a substrate rich in lime, are categorically not suitable for the plant. In general, wisteria does not impose special requirements on the quality of the soil. If you are going to keep wisteria indoors, take a container that is spacious enough to plant the crop - it grows quickly. It can be tubs, flowerpots, pots.

Wisteria at home

Wisteria (Chinese wisteria) needs constant soil moisture. Watering is recommended to be done regularly, in summer, especially on hot days, often and plentifully. The same applies to the period of active growth. Wisteria does not tolerate drying out of an earthy coma.

In the middle of spring, a beautifully flowering culture needs top dressing without fail. For the implementation of this procedure, special complexes of mineral fertilizers of a liquid consistency are used: NPK + Me. In general, it is recommended to fertilize several times a season.

The culture should be transplanted as needed. The new soil must meet the following requirements: looseness, airiness, high water and air permeability, the presence of peat. The best time to transplant wisteria is spring.

In order for the wisteria to bloom profusely, look lush and healthy, it is necessary to prune annually, at the end of the spring period. She is subjected to last year's shoots less than 30 cm long.

The second pruning is carried out in August of the current year. Shoots in this period are cut into 5 buds. The next spring, after the shelter has been removed - and wisteria should certainly be covered with foil for the winter if it grows in the garden - and the shoots are tied to a support, last year's growth is shortened by a few more buds. Adhering to such a simple trimming scheme, you will certainly achieve lush flowering wisteria.

Now about reproduction. The offspring from Chinese wisteria allow you to get the sowing of seeds, cuttings, followed by rooting, the method of layering. The most effective rooting of cuttings, as the latter quickly take root, and also the method of horizontal layering. Experts recommend two more breeding methods that have an almost 100% guarantee of achieving the desired results: grafting and planting varietal material.

The probable problems in the cultivation of beautifully flowering wisteria can only be attributed to the lack of moisture. Wisteria is practically not affected by pests.

Light purple and white brushes of flowering wisteria do not leave anyone indifferent. Starting in spring, this tree-like liana pleases the eye with its flowering, which lasts all summer. In open ground, wisteria is widely distributed as ornamental plant. This article will discuss the features of planting and caring for this beautiful liana.

Varieties and varieties

The tree-like wisteria liana also has the second name "wisteria". The subtropics are considered natural habitats, however, cultivated species can grow in almost any climate, and some varieties bred by American biologists can withstand severe winter frosts without shelter and retain the ability to bloom.

Wisteria is an incredibly beautiful liana that can be easily grown even in the north of Russia

In total, wisteria has 9 species, but most often you can find several of them:

Planting wisteria

When planting wisteria, it must be borne in mind that the plant is a perennial, and a place for it must be chosen for many years. If you want to achieve maximum flowering, then you should choose a site where the vine will be in the sun for at least half a day. In addition to the sun, care must be taken to ensure that the place is sufficiently protected from the wind, and the soil is nutritious and well-drained. Wisteria prefers slightly alkaline soils.

Planting wisteria is best done in the spring, after the last frost has passed. Despite the fact that most wisteria varieties are frost-resistant, putting young plants at risk once again not worth it.

For wisteria, it is necessary to determine a sunny place on the site.

Most often, wisteria is grown from seedlings. The soil is dug up with mineral fertilizer before planting, after which holes are dug 50 cm deep, into which young plants are placed.

If you plant wisteria from seeds, then the vine will not begin to bloom soon. At best, after 5 years, but very often only by 10 years.

wisteria care

Wisteria care begins with a garter of young shoots. Since the vine grows for a long time and has a high windage, the support must be durable and able to withstand wind loads.

Advice. It is best to tie a wisteria to the support, because independent weaving around the support can lead to the fact that in the fall it will be very difficult to remove the vine in preparation for winter.

The soil should not be calcareous, otherwise the wisteria leaves will brighten and lose their decorative effect.

Watering. Too wet soil can cause the plant to drop leaves and buds. Therefore, moderation in watering should be observed from the beginning of flowering until the end of summer. In the summer, additional spraying can be carried out so as not to once again fill the roots with water. In September, watering should be minimized and the plant should be allowed to prepare for winter.

The soil around the wisteria should not be too waterlogged.

Pruning. A very important condition for the flowering of wisteria is timely and correctly carried out pruning. Wisteria flowers develop on last year's and even earlier vines. Sometimes on young shoots of this year. Because for correct formation flower buds at the beginning of summer or at the end of May (depending on the wisteria flowering season), last year's shoots are shortened, leaving no more than 30 cm.

In autumn, the shoots of the new season are cut off, cutting off 4 buds. After that, in early spring, while tying the vines to the support, last year's shoots are reduced by another 2 buds. By following these simple pruning rules, you will achieve the most decorative and lush flowering, which is so valued in wisteria.

pruning wisteria

Preparing for winter. Many varieties of wisteria are preferably covered for the winter, especially in the northern regions. Young shoots are considered the most vulnerable. In autumn, it is recommended to untie them from the support and lay them on the ground. The root part is added dropwise with a thick layer of earth, and the shoots are covered with spruce branches, a layer of leaves or a special covering material. The older the plant becomes, the higher its frost resistance, respectively, the less it needs winter shelter.

Scheme: pruning and shaping vines

Advice. In severe frosts, some of the young shoots still die, but you should not be upset because of this, because this is exactly the material that is to be pruned.

Fertilizer and top dressing wisteria

It is impossible to take your eyes off the photo with blooming wisterias. To achieve the same flowering on your vine, you should pay a little attention to top dressing. During active life, it is recommended to fertilize wisteria at least once a week, while it is best to alternate liquid mineral fertilizers with organic ones (for example, with mullein infusion diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20). A one-time top dressing in the summer can make a chalky solution. To do this, dilute 100 g of chalk in a bucket of warm water and pour the plant under the root.

No need to feed wisteria too often

Advice. Experienced gardeners remind that wisteria belongs to legumes, so you need to be careful with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Propagation of wisteria

There are many ways to propagate this beautiful vine.

The easiest way to propagate wisteria is cuttings. In late autumn, the vine is cut off from the bush, cut into cuttings, tied and cleaned in a cool place, after being buried in a damp base. In early spring, the vine is taken out of the basement and planted under plastic bottles. It can be planted both in a cold greenhouse, and immediately to a permanent place of deployment. Approximately half of the planted cuttings will take root.

In December, you can try to propagate wisteria vaccination. It must be done exclusively on the roots, because the wood of the vine is too soft, and it will not be possible to graft.

Wisteria is well propagated by cuttings.

A fairly effective method of reproduction is rooting layering. In the fall, when all the leaves fall off, the lowest shoots are slightly scarred, tilted to the ground and sprinkled with soil so that only the tops remain on the surface. Shoots are ringed from the side of the mother bush in the spring, when the buds begin to appear. And in the fall, it is necessary to check whether the root system of layering has developed sufficiently. If the roots have not yet grown sufficiently, then the layers are left in this form for another year. If the root system has developed enough, then the layers are dug up and planted in a new place.

Also common is the method of reproduction. winter cuttings. February is considered the best time for this. The shoot prepared in advance must be split lengthwise into two parts and the resulting halves cut into cuttings. The length of the cutting is about 5 cm, and in the center of each there must be a kidney. The cuttings are planted in boxes, maintaining a small distance between them, and the soil is sprinkled with sand on top. The boxes are stored in the greenhouse until rooting.

Young creeper

Another way that brings almost 100% results is reproduction. this year's shoots. In order for the root system to form faster, the lower edges of the cuttings must be treated with synthetic phytohormones in accordance with the instructions. After the cuttings have stood in the solution for 12 hours, they are washed with running water and planted in a greenhouse with a crumbly substrate prepared from equal parts of sand, earth and peat. You can plant petioles in boxes that need to be covered with glass and put in a light shade and watered once a day, maintaining sufficient soil moisture. When the first shoots appear, they switch to moderate watering (once every three days). In the fall, they are transferred to a sunny place or shading is removed.

wisteria seeds

Propagation of wisteria seeds many gardeners consider it ineffective, because the flowering of such vines may not begin, or begin only after a few years. Yes, and decorative properties are very rarely preserved. However, some shoots from seeds give unexpected results and young vines outshine the mother ones in their decorative qualities. Such findings are subsequently used for selection.

Seeds are sown in a greenhouse in the middle of winter. When sowing directly into open ground, it is best to do so in early spring. Seeds germinate late. However, this method of propagation also has its advantages - plants grown from seeds from the first days are adapted to natural surprises and are much more stable and hardy.

Pests and diseases of wisteria

Wisteria is quite resistant to diseases, but from time to time it is subjected to aphid occupation, which can be easily corrected with an insecticide. Some gardeners also noticed the raids of the clover mite, which is successfully destroyed by acaricidal preparations. Of the diseases, chlorosis can overcome wisteria if you place your vine on alkaline soil. This disease can be identified by yellowing and falling leaves. As a treatment, it is necessary to make fertilizing with iron salts.

clover mite

Wisteria in the garden

The flowering of wisteria is an unforgettable whirlpool of colors, in which long brushes of many shades - blue, red, white - rush down like an unrestrained waterfall, exuding a sweet aroma. In Japan, walking through a wisteria garden is like walking through paradise.

Perennial flowers can be planted under the wisteria

Very often in landscape design, wisteria is used as vertical gardening site. Despite the fact that the liana occupies a minimum of space, its decorative effect is exceptional. With its help, unsightly walls, fences and any other buildings and technical structures that can spoil the overall appearance are decorated. This vine will help zone areas, acting as a screen and creating natural shelters from the sun and wind. To create an original ensemble, try planting hyacinths and daffodils at the base of wisteria. Grouse, white tulips or wolfberry will look good against the background of wisteria. Numerous photos will tell you how best to decorate your garden with this beautiful creeper.

Unpretentious in care, wisteria is able to please the eye of any fastidious gardener.

How to cut wisteria correctly: video

Wisteria: photo

Wisteria is the true dream of every gardener. After all, this is the most beautiful climbing plant in the world.

The flowering of multi-faceted flower clusters can be compared to the most beautiful of waterfalls, only this waterfall emits a surprisingly delicate and pleasant aroma. Most often, the plant is grown for the purpose decoration of the walls of the house, gazebos or arches.

plant description

Wisteria or, in other words, wisteria- this is tree plant of the legume family. This plant belongs to the liana-shaped and has surprisingly beautiful cluster-shaped flowers of lilac, pink or white.

The wisteria genus contains more than 9 varieties of vines. All of them are common in countries where the subtropical climate prevails. But other varieties of wisteria are also known, which are resistant to low temperatures.

They are successfully grown in the conditions of the middle zone and perfectly tolerate temperature extremes. True, after a harsh winter, the beauty will no longer bloom. She will just freeze. But you can often find wisteria on the windowsills of apartments or offices in the form of a small tree - bonsai.

Wisteria sinensis, as the name suggests, grows in China. In the wild, it is found almost everywhere in this country. The plant has rather dense foliage. Each leaf of the plant can grow up to 30 cm, while wisteria shoots grow so large and long that they can completely cover tree trunks, house walls and other fences.

Wisteria blooms from May to July, covered with amazingly beautiful brushes of all shades. purple. White flowers are extremely rare, but it is also possible. If the soil is ideal for the plant, and there is enough sunlight, then the plant will bloom again in September. Its delicate flowers are collected in clusters, quite long and beautiful. At the same time, they bloom most often at once, creating a surprisingly beautiful picture. But the plant begins to bloom only three years after planting.

The most common varieties

Chinese wisteria has many varieties, but most of them have purple or lilac flowers. But there are also varieties whose flowers are white.

But more common varieties:

1. blue sapphire- an amazingly beautiful liana that has purple-blue inflorescences. Most often, the plant blooms in May, but late flowering is also possible - in the middle of summer. Inflorescence brushes have a sweet, even somewhat sugary aroma, and delicate flowers have a gentle purple hue. The brushes grow up to 25 cm. The vine grows up to 6 meters in height and at the same time it twists along the support in a spiral. The annual growth of the plant is up to 2 meters.
2. Amethyst. This variety of wisteria begins to bloom very early. Long inflorescences of a purple plant delight the eye of the gardener and neighbors from mid-May to the end of summer. Compared with other varieties, the aroma of this flower is stronger and richer. This variety does not differ in winter hardiness, and therefore requires careful shelter for the winter.
3. Profile- This is a beautiful plant that blooms with delicate blue flowers. This variety of wisteria begins to bloom in the third year after planting. It gives a very good growth - 2 meters per year. If you plant it at a support, then in a few years you will have a beautiful decoration of a wall or arch in the yard. The plant takes root beautifully and quickly and grows on moist and loose soil.
4. Southern Belle- this vine has delicate flowers of white-violet color and a moderate intensity of aroma. The peak of flowering intensity occurs in mid-May, and by the end of summer the flowers are completely showered. The plant prefers a sunny location with moist soil. Perfectly decorates gazebos and gardens.
5. Texas White- refers to the dwarf varieties of wisteria and does not grow more than 2.5 meters in height. It begins to bloom in the second year after planting and produces many white flower clusters. The plant prefers high sunny places with moderately moist soil. Perfectly copes with the shelter of trees, arbors.

Wisteria planting rules

If conditions allow, then grow wisteria flower for every gardener. If you follow the landing rules, then she feels great in urban conditions, and with proper care, she tolerates wintering well.

To grow vines, you need to choose a sunny place, but in partial shade it feels great. But, when choosing a place for planting, it should be remembered that the plant is very photophilous, and therefore it is worth picking up such a site, the sun over which lasts at least 6 hours.

But it is necessary to protect it from wind and cold, therefore the best option will be planting wisteria on the south side of the house.

picking up landing site you need to take into account the fact that wisteria is a perennial plant. Therefore, its further transplantation can cause some difficulties. Its root system goes deep into the soil for at least a couple of meters. Therefore, it should be immediately planted in a permanent place.

soil for wisteria

The flower has no special preferences in the soil, but it is still worth planting it in moderately fertile, light and moist soil. The soil must allow air to pass through and not retain water.

Too much lime in the soil can cause the flower to die quickly. He begins to get sick with chlorosis, which is determined by the strong lightening of the leaves. Too nitrogenous soil is also not needed. Licinia Chinese Blue Sapphire therefore, fertilizer should be applied as little as possible, otherwise it will not bloom.

To Chinese Wisteria Blue Sapphire or any other took root faster, you should prepare the soil yourself and pour it into the pit. To do this, you will need three parts of soddy soil, one part of sand and the same amount of peat. All this is thoroughly mixed and poured into the planting hole. The plant will quickly take root and it has enough nutrients in such soil.

Landing Rules

Before planting a profusely flowering wisteria or another variety of a plant in the ground, it is necessary to soak the sprouts for half an hour in water. After that, you need to prepare a hole with dimensions of 50x50x40 cm. Pre-prepared soil is laid out at the bottom of the hole. Cover the plant with soil 10 cm deeper than it grew before transplanting. On top of the soil you need to lay the bark.

Landing is carried out at a distance of 30 cm from a support or wall. Do not be afraid that the first two to three weeks the plant will not show signs of life. It takes a very long time to get used to a new place and begins to grow. At first, Chinese wisteria takes root and all the forces go into this process.

Wisteria: planting and care in the open field

Growing wisteria in open ground can hardly be called a time-consuming procedure. It is quite unpretentious and easily tolerates drought. Therefore, you should simply adhere to the rules of agricultural technology and the liana will delight you with active growth and flowering:

• water and feed the vine;
• cut;
• shelter for the winter.

Water and feed the plant as needed. Watering should be carried out so that the soil is slightly moist at all times. During the period of bud formation, it is recommended to further strengthen the watering and spraying of the bushes. Otherwise, the buds will fall off and the vine will not bloom. But you should still prefer spraying the plant, because frequent watering leads to stagnation of water in the roots and their decay. From September, watering should be reduced to a minimum, because the plant is preparing for winter.

In order for the plant to grow well and bloom profusely, it should be fed with fertilizers. It is optimal if you alternate mineral fertilizers with liquid organic ones. Fertilization is recommended during the growing season.

So that the soil is not washed out and is always saturated useful substances it is recommended to water it once a season with chalky water.

After the inflorescences wither, they should be cut off. And it is recommended to tie young branches, changing the direction of their growth. Pruning wisteria is also needed so that the plant begins to bloom better and for the formation of its crown. Most often, young shoots and twigs are cut for these purposes, which prevent flowering clusters from growing and developing. Flowers can only develop on last year's or even older branches, and therefore spring pruning does not affect the splendor of the crown. Pruning is required without fail, otherwise you may not wait until next year for flowering.

When growing creepers in mid-latitudes and cold winters are expected, it is recommended to tie all young shoots, so that later it would be easier to cover them. But in general, Chinese wisteria tolerates a slight drop in temperature and feels great in conditions down to minus 20 degrees.

Growing wisteria outdoors and in pots is no different. But at the same time, it is worth remembering the rule that for the winter it is recommended to transfer pots with a plant to a place with a humidity of at least 70%.

Watering indoors occurs only as the topsoil dries. And pruning is performed in the spring in order to form a crown. After that, the vine can be taken out into the street.

Shelter of wisteria for the winter should be carried out in the same way as for bushy roses. To do this, first carefully spud the root area. The vine is separated from the support and fixed on a specially prepared shield. After that, the branches should be covered with dry foliage. If winter fell with a small amount of snow, then you should additionally cover the plant with agrotex.

Wisteria breeding

Most often, wisteria is used to propagate:

• seed method;
• vegetative.

But the seed method is suitable only for experienced gardeners, because the plant from them hatches completely unwillingly. And yes, they require a lot of maintenance. First, the seeds must be sown in pots or boxes, which are recommended to be placed in a warm and humid place. To create the effect of a greenhouse, cover the boxes with a film. Spraying the soil should be carried out with a spray gun. Seeds are aged in this way for at least a month. After that, they should be brought to light.

After the appearance of the first sprouts, the plants should be planted in separate containers without separating the earthy coma. The container should first be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate, but the plants themselves are subjected to the same treatment. To do this, after transplantation, they should be watered with a solution of manganese.

But with a similar cultivation method, it is not always possible to get good seedlings. According to experts, only 25% of plants grow. The plant blooms extremely reluctantly, and may never bloom at all.

When breeding wisteria in the middle lane, it is recommended to use layering from an existing adult plant. To do this, an incision is made in the spring on a strong and formed process. After that, the place of the cut is recommended to be placed in a container with soil and sprinkled with earth. The plant needs to be regularly watered and fed. By mid-August, roots will appear on it and layering can be transplanted to a permanent place in the spring.

You can grow wisteria in the Rostov region, you just need to select frost-resistant varieties. And then this beautiful and amazing plant will appear in your garden or small garden. And it can decorate any place where it grows. After all, there are no such amazing flowers on any liana. So plant this amazing flower waterfall and enjoy its fragrance.

Charming plant with purple-blue flowers collected in racemose inflorescences, with an intense sweet aroma. It begins to bloom in May, sometimes also in summer.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: The flowers are decorative, violet-blue, collected in long racemose inflorescences, 20˗25 cm long, with an intense sweet aroma. It blooms at the beginning of V, sometimes flowering is repeated in summer. The leaves are pinnately divided, light green in spring and summer, and yellow in autumn. The stems twist clockwise.

HOW IT GROWS: creepers; shoots wrap around supports. Fast-growing, reaches up to 6 m in height, annual growth of 1˗2 m. Strong supports are needed.

WHERE TO PLANT: Prefers sunny, warm and protected places. It is undemanding to soils, loves the average humidity the passed soil. Not completely cold hardy (zone 6˗8). In severe winters, it can freeze slightly.

HOW TO LAND AND CARE: Before planting, soak the plant in water for 10-30 minutes. The plant is planted in a planting hole measuring 40 x 40 x 40 cm with fertile soil, 10 cm of humus and compost are placed at the bottom, we plant 5-10 cm deeper than the plant grew before. We fill the pit fertile soil. Creepers should be planted at a distance of at least 30 cm from walls or other plants. Cover the earth around the plant with bark, fertilize IV, and intensively pour during the growing season. Before the beginning of winter, pour 10 cm. Pruning is necessary for flowering. Do the main pruning in VII-VIII, cutting out diseased shoots, shoots that create density and overgrown; the rest of the annual shoots need to be cut over 5.˗6. sheet.

HOW TO USE: The plant is recommended to be grown with verandas, pergolas and strong structures next to the walls.

Wisteria (Wisteria) is the dream of all gardeners, it ranks first in beauty among perennial weaving plants. The flowering of such a liana resembles a bright colorful waterfall of clusters of flowers, emitting a sweetish pleasant smell. Growing wisteria is actively used by flower growers for decorative purposes. It decorates the walls of houses and arbors, a terrace, a fence, an arch.

Features of growing wisteria of different varieties

Before buying a vine seedling and planting it in your garden, you should find out which species are suitable for our climatic conditions and what are the characteristics of their cultivation. Wisteria as a genus includes 9 species, but only three are suitable for our area: Chinese, frost-resistant, profusely flowering. When breeding such vines, the following conditions must be met:

• Bright sun. Abundant flowering of wisteria can only be obtained in a sunny area.
• A solid foundation. Liana is a climbing plant, and she needs a good, strong support on which she will grow.
• stable watering. Starting from spring and ending in summer, the ground on which wisteria grows must be kept moist. The main thing is not to overdo it, the plant does not tolerate excess moisture.
• Feeding with fertilizers. Like other plants, wisteria needs fertilizer, especially during the budding period.
• Careful cover for winter period. Despite the fact that such a vine is a frost-resistant plant, for the winter it is recommended to wrap its rods with leaves, paper, roofing felt or special covering material.
• Pruning. For dense flowering, wisteria is pruned 2 times a year (at the end of flowering, after leaf fall).

If the climatic conditions of your region do not allow you to grow a vine outdoors in the open field, try planting it in a flowerpot, like a standard tree. In autumn and winter, it will decorate the hallway or hall of your home, and in spring and summer it will embellish the terrace or the entrance to the house. To form a crown of wisteria, you will need to prune the young side shoots several times in the spring.

Chinese (Wisteriachinensis)

Tree wisteria is native to China. The plant is characterized by a dense foliage cover, the length of the shoots reaches a height of 15-20 m. The leaf of Chinese wisteria is large (20-30 cm long), has a complex pinnate shape and consists of 7-13 small leaves. Liana blooms with light purple (in rare cases, white) flowers, which are collected in 40 cm brushes and all bloom at the same time. Flowering begins with the appearance of foliage and lasts until the end of summer. Often in early September this is repeated.

Wisteria is a heat-loving and light-loving plant, but it also develops well in the shade. It is not particularly demanding on the soil, but it is preferable to plant a plant on fertile, moist soil. This vine is well adapted to urban conditions, withstands short-term temperature drops to -20C. Wisteria grows quickly, raising the stems along the support from right to left. With systematic pruning, the plant is suitable for growing in pots and tubs.

Frost resistant (Blue Moon)

This plant is native to North America. Wisteria Blue Moon is fast-growing, its maximum length is 8 m. The bush has pinnate leaves (consists of 7-9 leaves) of a glossy dark green color. The inflorescence is abundant and dense, reaches a length of 25-30 cm, consists of bluish or blue-lilac flowers. Frost-resistant wisteria blooms in the first decade of June and blooms for 2-3 weeks.

The main feature of this vine is its good tolerance for extreme cold down to -40C. It is desirable to plant a plant in a sunny area or near the south side of the building. Wisteria grows on any type of soil, but in order to achieve the maximum result in flowering, it is recommended to grow it on black soil or loam. It is not recommended to plant a bush in swampy, calcareous places. This type of wisteria is not picky about watering and tolerates drought well. Only young plants need to be systematically watered.

Abundantly flowering or many-flowered (Wisteria floribunda)

This wisteria was originally bred in Japan. The height of the vine reaches 8-10 meters, has very large leaves (40 cm) with 15-19 small leaves. The size of clusters of inflorescences reaches 50-70 cm. Wisteria blooms after the leaves bloom, in the second half of May, sometimes again at the end of summer. Flowers bloom gradually, starting from the base of the brush, ending with the bottom.

Multi-flowered wisteria well withstands frosts down to -25C. For creepers, sunny areas with light, moderately moist, loose soil, without stagnant water, rich in nutrients. Wisteria multiflora wraps its stems around the support only clockwise. The color scheme of flowers is diverse: white, pale pink, pale purple, reddish.

Wisteria planting rules

You need to plant 1-2 summer wisteria seedlings. When planting a plant, it is necessary to follow simple rules on which the further growth of the plant and its flowering depend. Wisteria should be provided with a brightly lit place with light fertile soil, strong supports along which it will weave in the future, a reliable shelter in winter time of the year.

Location

Sunlight is very important for wisteria, at least 6 hours a day she needs to be under the sun. But there should be no drafts, the best choice would be the south, southeast, southwest side of the building. For wisteria shoots, prepare and install a durable, strong support that is resistant to wind load in advance. When choosing a planting site, consider the toxicity of the plant, so it is not recommended to plant wisteria near water sources.

Soil preparation

For abundant flowering Wisteria needs light, fertile, well-permeable soil. With an acid reaction of the earth, it is necessary to lime it a little. Just do not overdo it, from a large amount of lime, the liana loses its attractiveness, its leaves become light. Clay soil before planting wisteria must be drained with organic fertilizers. For a seedling, plants dig a deep hole, fill it with humus, river sand, sheet and clay-turf soil, mixed in equal parts.

Best time to drop off

The planting time of wisteria depends on its propagation method:

• cuttings. Spring time is suitable for good rooting. To do this, choose an annual shoot, in the middle of its length, make an oblique incision. The stalk is planted in this place in soil fertilized with a nutrient substrate. At the end of summer, layering with roots is transplanted for its intended purpose.
• Seeds. In December, wisteria beans are sown in a greenhouse in drained soil fertilized with a mixture of leafy, soddy soil and sand (ratio 4:1:1). To preserve moisture, the sowing is covered with glass or plastic wrap, and cleaned in a dark place. After 4 weeks, shoots appear, they are brought to light. When the sprouts grow to a small bush, they are planted in an outdoor greenhouse.

wisteria care

Caring for such a chic liana is not so difficult. It will bloom densely only in well-lit areas, protected from gusts of wind. It is important to constantly tie up wisteria shoots so that they can grow and their tips do not dry out. The vine needs to be trimmed regularly after flowering so that it blooms more intensively next season. If you follow these rules of care, your plant will actively grow and bloom profusely.

From early spring to the end of summer, the soil of wisteria should be slightly moist, then the leaves will have a bright saturated green tint. It is also impossible to pour, the plant does not like too wet earth. During dry periods, the vine is watered more abundantly so that the buds do not crumble due to lack of moisture. In the second half of December, watering is stopped, the plant needs to prepare for wintering.

Wisteria creepers grow up to large sizes so that flowers and leaves have a beautiful color throughout the season decorative look, requires the introduction of liquid dressings:

• mineral fertilizer. For 1 m2 of territory you will need 10 liters of water and 20 g of fertilizers.
• Compost.
• Tinctures of rotted manure (1:20).
• Chalk solution (100 g per 1 bucket of water).

Diseases and pests

Wisteria is resistant to disease, and due to its poisonous properties, it is extremely rarely attacked by pests. It can be:

• Caterpillars that make holes in the leaves. They are neutralized by spraying a biological preparation.
• Green aphid. It affects leaves and flowers, is destroyed by insecticides.
• Clover mite. It is determined by the unnatural bronze color of the leaves, in which case the vine is treated with acaricides.

How and when to prune a plant

The density of flowering of wisteria, the longevity of the plant depends on correctly performed and timely pruning. Deadlines play an important role here. Pruning of vines is carried out 2 times a year according to the scheme presented below. Immediately after boarding:

• We cut the main shoot of the plant with secateurs to a strong bud (approximately at a height of 75-90 cm).
• We remove all side shoots of the liana to stimulate the growth of the main stem.

• We knit the upper shoot of wisteria vertically, and several others at an angle of 45 degrees.

• At a height of 75-80 cm, we shorten the main stem.
• Form a few more horizontal shoots and shorten a third of their length.

Year 2 and before the end of formation, summer:

• Tie the main stem of the creeper to the support.
• Pick up a couple more side shoots and tie them at a 45 degree angle.
• If excess shoots form at the base of the wisteria. Delete her.

• Tie a new main stem of each side branch on the vine and shorten all branches of the 2nd order to 20 cm so that they have 3-4 buds.

Year 3 and beyond:

• We perform similar actions, creating a vertical growth of wisteria and the formation of side shoots.

Video tips for growing wisteria at home

In specialty stores there is a wide selection of seedlings of various exotic and domestic plants, there is also wisteria. But it is much more interesting to try to grow such a vine yourself. How to breed this ornamental plant right at home? For details on growing wisteria, from laying seeds to the appearance of a sprout, see the video master class below.

Wisteria or wisteria is a large tree-like vine in the legume family. It can be called a real flowering miracle, since several times a year the plant is abundantly covered with multi-colored garlands of delicate flowers, similar to jets of colorful rain with a pleasant sweetish aroma. Charming wisteria is planted in parks and gardens. It makes an indelible impression on any passer-by. The habitat of wisteria affects wet subtropical forests China and Japan, it grows well in the Black Sea region and in the south of Russia. Breeders managed to develop several frost-resistant varieties suitable for temperate climates.

plant description

Wisteria is a perennial deciduous vine. It branches from the very base and after a year the shoots become more durable, woody. They are covered with brown bark with deep vertical grooves. The length of the vine can reach 18-20 m. The stems of the first year are covered with a smooth olive bark.

On young shoots, large petiolate foliage of an unpaired form blooms. The length of one sheet reaches 30 cm. It has 7-13 oval-shaped segments with solid edges and a pointed end. Dark green leaves are covered with a short pile immediately after emergence, but gradually become smooth.

Large inflorescences of some species appear in early spring, before the foliage blooms. Others bloom after the leaves appear. At favorable conditions Wisteria blooms up to three times a year. Long drooping flower stalks are completely dotted with small flowers in the form of moths. Their structure is characteristic of all legumes. The entire racemose inflorescence with closely growing buds looks like a garland. The color of the flowers is dominated by various shades of blue and purple flowers. There are also white, pink and yellow wisterias.

The plant is pollinated by insects, after which long flat beans of an ashen or gray-brown hue ripen. Inside them are several round flat seeds of dark brown color.

Types and varieties for the garden

In total, 9 species are registered in the wisteria genus, but only 3 of them are especially popular in landscape design. Thanks to the work of breeders, varieties with a variety of petal colors, as well as frost-resistant ones, appeared.

Chinese wisteria. A woody vine, climbing a support, twists around it counterclockwise. The height of the vine reaches 15-20 m. It is covered with regular pinnate leaves with 7-13 segments. In spring, before the leaves open, drooping racemose inflorescences up to 30 cm long appear. Light purple flowers exude a pleasant intense aroma. The variety loves heat and can only withstand short-term cold snaps down to -20°C. Decorative varieties:

• Alba - with long snow-white inflorescences;
• Captivity - flowers on drooping brushes have a terry shape and are painted in a white-lilac hue;
• Sierra Madre - blooms in late March with lavender-purple brushes;
• Blue Sapphire - a vine up to 20 m long is covered with large emerald foliage. In May, long, racemose inflorescences hang on flexible peduncles, light purple moth flowers bloom on them.

Wisteria luxuriant. The plant lives in North America. Its height is 10-15 m. Growth is less aggressive. A distinctive feature is resistance to frost down to -35 ... -40 ° C. 7-9 dark green segments grow on the petiole. The length of the brush is 20-30 cm. Varieties:

• Blue moon (“Blue Moon”) - a frost-resistant variety awakens a little later and blooms with blue-lilac tassels with a delicate aroma;
• Clara Mac is a less winter-hardy plant with snow-white tassels up to 35 cm in length.

Wisteria multiflorum (flowering). Liana with lignified shoots grows up to 7-10 m in length. It climbs along a vertical support in a clockwise direction. Young stems are covered with large (about 40 cm) dark green pinnate leaves. There are up to 19 leaf blades on the petiole. Inflorescences on the vine bloom much larger. The length of the brush can reach 50-60 cm. Due to the closely spaced flowers and inflorescences, the vine gives the impression of a continuous blooming and fragrant canopy. The buds open from the base of the peduncle, they are painted in light purple or blue. The flowering period begins in May.

Reproduction features

Wisteria is propagated by cuttings, air layering, grafting and seeds. At seed propagation it is necessary to prepare pots with sand, leafy and soddy soil. Large seeds are evenly distributed on the surface and deepened by 1 cm. The soil is watered and covered with a film. The pot is kept at +25°C. Seeds germinate in 3-4 weeks. Germination is about 25%. Sprouts need to provide bright diffused light. The film can be removed. With the appearance of two true leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into separate small pots with a clod of earth so as not to damage the rhizome. For several hours a day they are hardened in a cool room. For the next spring, seedlings can be identified for a permanent place in the garden. Unfortunately, this method is not very efficient. Flowering occurs in 5-10 years, and varietal characteristics are not transmitted to offspring.

The simplest propagation method for the average gardener is the air layering method. For him, in early spring, an oblique cut is made on a one-year-old shoot. The stem is tilted and immersed in a container with earth. The top must remain free. After 1-3 months, up to half of these shoots take root. To increase rooting, the cut is treated with a preparation for the formation of roots. By August, the layers will be quite strong, but the branch is produced for next spring.

In late autumn, after the foliage has fallen, one-year-old cuttings are harvested. Each should contain 2-3 internodes. The branches are tied in a small bundle and placed in a pot with moist soil. In early spring, the cuttings are taken out of storage and planted in a cold greenhouse or immediately in open ground. Each branch is covered with a plastic cap. When the cutting takes root and the buds bloom, the cap is removed.

The grafting method is suitable only for experienced gardeners. Grafting of a varietal plant is done on the roots. The procedure is carried out in May-June, so that the plant has time to take root before frost.

Landing Rules

For planting wisteria, you should choose a sunny, warm place that is protected from drafts. She will be comfortable on the south side of the house or fence, where direct sunlight hits most of the day. With a lack of sun, flowering and development is reduced.

Planting creepers is best done at the end of March, when the snow has completely melted and the earth has warmed up. Short-term frosts are not terrible for all types of wisteria, but it is better to wait until they pass. The soil for planting should be nutritious and well-drained. Wisteria prefers neutral or slightly alkaline soils. A planting hole up to 60 cm deep is prepared for each seedling. Mineral top dressing is first applied to the ground.

After planting, the plants are well watered. You need to be prepared for the fact that the first year wisteria adapts for a long time and grows slowly. Only after 2-3 years, long thin shoots will turn into dense stems similar to a tree trunk.

Care Secrets

Charming wisteria is famous for its undemanding character. Already for 2-3 years, the first inflorescences appear, and after a few more years, the number of flowering necklaces will be difficult to count.

Watering. Wisteria needs to be watered regularly so that the soil is slightly moist but dries out in the top layer. In dry weather, 1-2 buckets of water are poured weekly under each bush. It is recommended to periodically spray the shoots. During flowering and active growth, irrigation should be more abundant. From the end of summer, watering is gradually reduced and the plant is prepared for wintering.

Fertilizer. In early spring, wisteria is fed with compositions with a high nitrogen content. Somewhat later, mullein infusion or compost is added. To prevent the soil from becoming acidic, it is recommended to periodically fertilize the wisteria with chalky water.

Crown formation. The plant needs a garter and the direction of all young shoots. Liana is quickly gaining weight, so the support for her must be reliable and stable. There are 2 main ways to form a crown:

• Standard - the formation of a kind of tree. The central, strongest shoot is left, cutting off the lateral processes at the base. At the required height, several skeletal branches are formed. The same form is practiced in miniature, creating bonsai from wisteria.
• Climbing - lateral processes are removed along the entire length of the vine to get a single long lash, curled in the right direction.

For more abundant flowering, vines are pruned twice a year. The first manipulation is planned at the end of flowering. All lateral processes are cut to 2/3. After the leaves fall, in November, some of the old and young side branches are removed. Flower buds are formed on short shoots of the current year. It is also recommended to trim wilted inflorescences.

Wintering. One-year-old plants in open ground are recommended to be removed from the trellis and laid on the ground on top of several boards. From above, the plant is covered with fallen leaves and spruce branches. Most varieties do not tolerate frost well, the tips of the branches often freeze slightly. Only wisteria "blue moon" can be grown in central Russia. But even its stem base is covered with lutrasil and fallen leaves.

A large, fast-growing vine requires ample space, so a single plant will suffice in a small garden. It is planted near the walls of the house, along the fence, near the gazebo or pergola. With the help of a green cover, ugly buildings can be masked. Wisteria not only creates an excellent green wall, but also dissolves great amount bright inflorescences.

Arches and corridors made of wisteria look impressive on a large territory. Moreover, you can use several plants of the same variety or combine varieties with different colors of inflorescences. Then you get an amazingly beautiful rainbow.

Hyacinths, daffodils, tulips and wolfberries are often planted at the base of the vine. To please yourself with a heat-loving variety, you can plant wisteria in a tub. In the summer, it is taken out into the garden, and in winter it is removed to a bright, but cool (+10 ... + 12 ° C) room.

Blooming and beautiful plants bring the greatest joy and tenderness to flower growers. One of the most beautiful representatives is Chinese wisteria. Drop her off at personal plot means a lot of worries. But the beauty of this flower will reward even gardeners who are intimidated by the complex care and cultivation of this plant.

The photos in the flower growers' instructions show falling brushes, which are abundantly strewn with lush inflorescences, and their magical aroma is sure to be an adornment of any personal plot.

Description and types of wisteria

In various sources, you can see the definition of wisteria as a flower or tree. But in reality it is a liana, with falling branches and a stiff trunk. At necessary conditions, namely, in well-drained soil, under the hot sun, the stem of this plant can grow up to 20 meters .

In their natural environment, wisteria are found in the warm climate of Asian countries - Japan and China. This plant has long been planted in America. The young shoot has a rather thin stem, an adult liana can have a tree-like trunk up to 25 cm in diameter. On the trunk of the plant there are branches with lush leaves collected from small leaves.

AT summer time wisteria forms brush-flowers. The inflorescences of different varieties of this plant differ in color - pure white, purple, blue. The flower has a rather complex shape that resembles an orchid. The very pleasant smell of the inflorescence is the reason for the name of the vine. "Wisteria" translates as "sweet".

The fruits of the plant fluffy pods. Due to the structure of the fruit of the creeper, it belongs to the legume family.

Varieties

Today there is 10 Varieties of Chinese Wisteria. which are in natural conditions. Florists grow only decorative creepers. This is wisteria.

• Macrostachia. This hybrid was bred specifically for cold climatic conditions - the north of America, Russia, Scandinavia. The plant is frost-resistant. On a personal plot, it creates an excellent braiding of arbors, terraces, facades of houses. The brushes are 35 cm in diameter and consist of lilac inflorescences with a pronounced smell.
• Alba. This type of wisteria blooms with white tassels. The aroma is slightly worse than that of other hybrids, but pure white inflorescences are more expressive, they are planted in city squares, in various flower arrangements;
• Chinese. This variety creates quite beautiful brushes with fragrant bluish inflorescences. In the backyard, this plant winds around the pillars of the terrace, arbors, various frames;
• floribunda. it Japanese variety a plant that looks like a liana with 45 cm tassels of various colors. There are also dwarf species of this vine. They take much longer to grow, creating a bushy shape which is great for making bonsai;
• Beautiful. The hybrid, which turned out after the selection of the first two varieties, he absorbed them best qualities. The flower brushes are longer, up to 30 cm, the flowers are larger, pure white.

How to grow wisteria?

Wisteria - fast growing plants. which immediately cling to any possible support. This quality has made them popular with both landscape designers and novice flower growers who appreciate the romantic style.

For a developing vine, a frame made of thick reinforcement, steel or wood is required. The older the plant, the thicker the stem and the heavier the green foliage. Small wisterias look great in pots as houseplants. The pot must be wide, and equipped with a reliable steel rod. Moreover, the liana in a pot on the loggia looks great.

Planting a vine on a personal plot will require having a secure base. A lot of effort needs to be made and pruning vines. A heavily overgrown, massive plant without proper pruning will break under its weight.

The ideal place for wisteria in the backyard is a well-lit facade of the house, a gazebo wall, or a special canopy. Chinese wisteria needs constant warmth. Only under the sun will it bloom beautifully with a large number of inflorescences.

Experienced flower growers know that all varieties of this vine are rather capricious. Planting and care require great care. We must not forget a number of rules:

• liana, which is planted from seeds, will begin to bloom only after 8 years;
• seedlings purchased in stores take root up to 4 years, before starting flower buds;
• before flowering, it is necessary to fertilize the soil near the roots weekly;
• watering the vine is not necessary much, but constantly;
• sometimes the plant does not bloom at all for several years. This vine needs to be “pushed” by adding potash bait to the ground in the fall;
• nitrogen supplements should preferably be avoided. In legumes, nitrogen creates a strong development of the foliage mass, but not the formation of inflorescences.

For a more beautiful flowering plant is required trim 2 times a year. Large branches form in the summer, after a couple of weeks, when the brushes dry and fade. In this case, you can correct the frame. Vines of small diameter are pruned in autumn.

In winter, you can not perform these manipulations with wisteria. In winter, the vine forms buds of inflorescences, and you can accidentally cut off the most beautiful and largest.

In autumn, it is necessary to remove all dead parts of the shrub that prevent young branches from germinating. Experienced gardeners recommend looking at the vine from a distance of 7 steps. This way you can better see the difference in color on old branches and new shoots that grow from them.

side branches needed shorten to 20 cm. The size of the old branches is also made smaller so that there are only 5 buds. This will help the vine to concentrate vitality on creating inflorescences on short branches.

In the summer, you can perform the same procedure with side branches, leaving a few leaves on each shoot. It is necessary to cut off large "clinging" branches in the form in which they decided to line the vine. Pruning won't do any harm. Elastic shoots They will grow quite quickly, and will be fixed where they are directed.

How to prepare seeds?

Large pods make the appearance of the plant in spring not very attractive. It is advisable to cut them without removing a significant part of the stem, as there may be inflorescence buds here.

You can plant this plant from seeds that are collected from pods. Do not forget - the new plant will not be identical to the mother vine.

ripe pods put in a large cardboard bag and leave to dry in a warm place. For example, you can leave the package for several weeks on the dashboard of the car. When the pods open, the seeds are easily removed from the shell.

For cultivation, planting in a deep pot is necessary. Seeds are deepened into the ground by 3 cm and watered. It is advisable to use a mixture of soil with the addition of sand for cultivation. The seed pot must be placed in the shade. Many growers cover the pot with glass to protect against heat loss. Water must be added all the time of germination so that the soil is constantly moistened.

When the shoots appear, the pot must be rearranged to a lighted area (not to direct sunlight). When the shoots form several leaves, they transplanted into different containers. You can not transplant small seedlings directly into the ground. Liana must grow no less than 25 cm.

How to grow wisteria in the suburbs?

The natural habitat of this plant is the tropics. In the northern regions, the liana suffers from frost. Many varieties of vines cannot even endure autumn in our climate. Minimum temperature for a plant should be at least 10C. Even when the roots survive in the ground and then create shoots, a frozen specimen will not throw out inflorescences for a long time.

This plant in the Moscow region develops well only with special protection in the winter. Flower growers place seedlings in the first spring not in the ground, but planting in special barrels. For escapes a container with a volume of 45-55 liters is required. Liana needs a strong support, as well as a garter.

In autumn, you need to follow the weather forecast. If at night the temperature drops below 15C, the plant must be moved to the house. It is desirable that it be a basement or cellar.

In winter, the vine is inactive. The plant does not need bright lighting, watering can be done every 7 days. In a heavily heated and bright room in winter, the vine will die. Already from the beginning of spring, the barrel with the plant is moved to the bright part of the room, and watering is done every two days. When the temperature at night is more than 10C, the vine can be placed on open ground.

An adult liana needs to be spudded before winter. At the same time, the plant is removed from the supports, fixed to the ground and covered with straw, leaves, unnecessary clothes. By this time, the bulk of the shoots need to be cut off. With reliable shelter, wisteria can transfer temperature around -22C .

Caring flower growers achieve the survival of the plant for many years, as well as the double flowering of wisteria. Growing vines from mother vines makes wisteria more resistant to frost.

The main disadvantages of wisteria

Certain natural specificity this plant can greatly puzzle the grower who first grew wisteria:

• you should not choose a living tree as a support for this plant. Liana will eventually "strangle" the tree with powerful lashes. The plant can be fixed only near dead and dried trees;
• the vine creates late leaf cover in spring. Its bare branches will begin to contrast with the emerging greenery of other plants;
• flowering is not constant, and not all the time intense;
• in hot weather, the leaves of this plant get a dark brown hue;
• increased allergenicity and toxicity of liana pollen makes it impossible to grow it on a personal plot, where small children often walk;
• the foliage and fruits of the vine are very poisonous. After contact with the plant, the entire body should be thoroughly washed with soap and water.

Chinese wisteria creates a magnificent romantic atmosphere in the backyard. This liana will perfectly fit in any landscape design. masks the facades of old houses, as well as dried trees. The aroma of blooming inflorescences is very pleasant to smell, and also cleans the air space from pathogens. Liana care is quite complicated, but the result you get will reward you for all your efforts.

The one who first saw the blooming wisteria for a long time cannot believe that in front of him living plant. Long floral tassels look so impressive that the first thing that comes to mind is a designer with a wild imagination, and not mother nature. Wisteria, often referred to as wisteria, is one of the most beautiful flowering vines. From a distance, her brushes resemble a foamy waterfall, she blooms so generously that branches and leaves are often not visible behind purple, blue or white clusters. Wisteria is gorgeous, growing and caring for it will be the topic of our article.

general description

Wisteria (Wisteria) is a small, consisting of only 9 species, genus of woody vines belonging to the legume family. It originates from China and Japan.

A tree-like deciduous liana, depending on the species, reaching from 8 to 20 meters with pinnate, unpaired beautiful leaves with 7-19 segments - this is exactly what wisteria looks like. This plant blooms in spring with purple or white flowers, collected in fragrant inflorescences-brushes ranging in size from 30 to 50 cm. The fruit is a bean up to 15 cm long.

Wisteria loves warmth, growing it in areas with a temperate and cold climate is difficult, the further north you go, the better shelter this vine requires for the winter. It should be noted that its plantings endure the polluted air of cities well.

Species and varieties

Although the plant is represented by 9 species, in the countries of the former Soviet Union, Chinese wisteria and profusely flowering or multi-flowered wisteria are most often grown.

Chinese wisteria

Chinese wisteria grows up to 15-20 meters, its pinnate leaf about 30 cm in size has from 7 to 11 (sometimes 13) leaflets, pubescent at the beginning of the growing season, later - smooth. The stems wrap around the support counterclockwise.

Loose brushes up to 30 cm long consist of an abundance of fragrant flowers, usually light purple, less often white. Chinese wisteria blooms at the same time as the leaves appear, and all its flowers open almost simultaneously.

With good care in August-September, repeated flowering may occur, not as plentiful as the first, but also very attractive. This species can withstand short-term temperature drops to 20 degrees below zero.

Description of the most popular varieties:

• "Alba" - white with short tassels;
• "Prolific" - profusely flowering and with longer tassels than the original species;
• "Sierra Madre" - wisteria of this variety blooms earlier than others with lilac-purple flowers;
• "Captivity" - wisteria, in which the flower is terry;
• "Blue Sapphire" - begins to bloom in May or early summer with violet-blue flowers with a strong sweetish aroma.

Chinese wisteria "Alba"
Chinese Wisteria "Blue Sapphire"

Wisteria profusely flowering or many-flowered

More frost-resistant wisteria is profusely flowering or multi-flowered, very similar to Chinese, but blooms 2-3 weeks later and only after the leaves appear. Its leaf blade reaches 40 cm and has 11-19 segments. Wisteria grows profusely flowering up to 8 meters, its shoots twist clockwise.

Flower brushes reach half a meter, but in varietal plants they can exceed a meter in length. First, flowers bloom at the base of the brush, then at the top. The most popular varieties:

• "Alba" - white inflorescences up to 60 cm long;
• "Celestina" - with lilac-blue flowers;
• "Multiyuga" - a variety with brushes 0.9-1.2 meters long and lilac-blue flowers with a yellow base;
• "Rosea" - white and pink wisteria, its flower is about 45 cm in size and has purple wings and a boat;
• "Royal Pearl" - with purple-violet flowers and tassels 30-50 cm in size.

There is a form of "Variegata" - with multi-color leaves.

Wisteria profusely flowering or multi-flowered "Rosea"
Wisteria profusely flowering or multi-flowered "Variegata"

Wisterias of other species

Wisteria large-bunch is represented by a single variety. Wisteria with the name "Blue Moon" is the most frost-resistant of the existing ones and can withstand frosts up to 40 degrees, it grows quickly and blooms up to 3 times per season with lilac-blue flowers.

An unusually beautiful variety with double purple flowers "Double Black Dragon". It is interesting that its origin is unknown, as well as its species affiliation - this blooming purple wisteria has signs of different species, experts attribute it either to Chinese or to many-flowered.

Wisteria large-bunch "Blue moon"
Wisteria 'Double Black Dragon'

Japanese wisteria usually blooms with white flowers less abundantly than the species listed above, moreover, its frost resistance is much lower.

Ways to propagate wisteria

Wisteria is propagated by cuttings, seeds and layering.

Growing from seeds

It is easy to grow wisteria from seeds, but keep in mind that wisteria from seeds does not inherit varietal characteristics, and besides, it may not bloom at all. Sometimes, although quite rarely, a liana grown from seeds surpasses the mother's in decorative qualities.

Wisteria seeds do not lose their germination for 2-3 years. Sowing time: late November - early December; directly into the soil - in early spring, as soon as the snow melts. For seed germination, they make up the substrate of the following composition:

• sheet soil - 4 parts;
• soddy soil - 1 part;
• sand - 1 part.

Seeds are placed on the ground and slightly crushed with sand or peat, then covered with glass or film and kept in a dark place at a temperature of 20-25 degrees. It is very important that the soil does not dry out, but is also not waterlogged - wisteria seeds can easily rot.

Shoots usually appear in a month, and after another 10-15 days they need to be put in a bright place, slightly shaded to accustom to the sun. Wisteria seedlings dive into separate pots in the phase of two true leaves, removing from the ground with a tablespoon so as not to damage the spine. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place only the next year after germination.

Wisteria grown from seeds will be much easier to care for than grafted or cuttings. But it will bloom no earlier than in 4-6 years.

Reproduction by cuttings

Shrubs and woody vines with softwood cuttings are difficult to reproduce, among them is wisteria. But propagation by cuttings is still possible.

take apical cuttings about 15 cm long at the very end of flowering or immediately after flowering. The lower leaves are cut off, and the upper ones are shortened by 2/3, the lower cut is treated with heteroauxin and planted in a mixture of sand, peat and fertile soil. Landing is done with a slope of about 30 degrees, deepening one kidney completely into the ground, the second should be at the level of the soil. From this it can be seen that strongly elongated shoots with rare internodes are not suitable for cuttings.

The box with the cuttings should be in a shady, protected from strong wind but with good ventilation place. It is best to cover the plantings with a transparent film, ventilate and spray them daily. A few days after the new leaves hatch, the shelter must be removed.

Such plantings should winter either in cold greenhouses, if in winter the temperature there is about 10 degrees, or in a room with the same temperature and dim lighting. Cuttings can be planted directly in open ground only in the south, otherwise the wisteria will die. Growing cuttings can be considered successful even if 30% of plantings survive by next spring. When the buds swell, it will be possible to plant wisteria in a permanent place. The planted stalk at first needs to be covered from the sun.

Reproduction by layering

What is the easiest way to grow wisteria? An easy, reliable, but unproductive method of reproduction is layering. In the spring, at the very beginning of the growing season, you need to choose a good low-lying one-year-old shoot, bend it, cut it, powder the wound surface with heteroauxin. Then plant with the cut down either in a nearby pot or in the ground, for reliability, securing the branch with bent electrodes.

Do not forget to water the layers and warm the pot for the winter. Next spring it will be possible to plant a young plant.

Reproduction by grafting

A varietal cutting is grafted in winter on the root of a plant grown from seeds. Only a specialist can vaccinate on the roots; care and cultivation of a grafted plant at first cannot be called easy either. Let's leave this method of reproduction to nurseries.

Planting wisteria in the ground

Often beginner gardeners are interested in the question of when to plant wisteria: in spring or autumn? It is planted and transplanted in the spring. Before planting wisteria, choose a well-lit, wind-sheltered spot with nutritious, well-drained soil.

Dig a 60 x 60 cm hole about 50 cm deep. Lay drainage if necessary, then fill the hole with fertile soil. Plant at the same depth as the wisteria used to grow. Her planting ends with a garter to the support and abundant watering.

Care for wisteria after disembarkation

Planting and caring for a wisteria is not particularly difficult.

During active growth, the vine is watered systematically, but not waterlogged. In autumn, watering is gradually reduced, but do not forget that if the autumn is dry, it is necessary to do pre-winter moisture charging. Wisteria is prone to freezing, and this procedure cannot be neglected.

The first three years of wisteria need regular feeding. From the beginning of the growing season until the end of flowering, it is fed twice a month with complex mineral fertilizers. In late August and September, feed the plant with potassium monophosphate or any other phosphorus-potassium fertilizer that does not contain nitrogen at all.

Starting from the fourth year after disembarkation, you can feed wisteria 4 times per season:

• The first feeding (immediately after the start of the growing season) with a nitrogen content;
• The second and third (during the formation of buds and at the height of flowering) - little nitrogen, a lot of phosphorus and potassium;
• Fourth (end of August - September) - phosphorus-potassium top dressing.

Do not feed wisteria with organic fertilizers - they contain high doses of nitrogen, and the plant belongs to the legumes that produce it themselves.

Care after flowering

During flowering, regularly remove wilted inflorescences. The wisteria has bloomed. Further care consists in watering, loosening, fertilizing, removing weeds and pruning.

Trimming and shaping

From this creeper, you can easily form a small tree or bonsai. Wisteria at the age of several decades has a rather thick trunk - up to 20-30 cm. But even more young age thin old shoots can not be called. If you want to get something exotic and not like a vine, you need to start shaping from the first years of life.

Proper and timely pruning is the key to abundant long-term flowering. To get a large number of flower buds immediately after flowering, cut off last year's shoots, leaving no more than 30 cm (the remaining cuttings can be rooted). In mid-August, shorten the growth of the current year, leaving 4-5 buds, and in the spring, after removing the shelter, cut another 2-3 internodes.

Perhaps this is the most difficult stage of wisteria care. In the southernmost regions, it grows without shelter, a little further north it is spudded like roses. The further north the wisteria grows, the more serious shelter it needs. It is removed from the support in autumn, laid on the ground, covered with spruce branches, covered with agrofibre, if necessary, additionally covered with leaves.

But there will come a time when you simply cannot remove the wisteria from the support. Then you will have to install a special covering structure around the support. The older the plant, the more frost it can endure.

Pests, diseases and possible problems

Wisteria rarely gets sick and is affected by pests. Use insecticides to control insects.

If the soil is excessively alkaline, iron may cease to be absorbed - treat wisteria leaf with a complex of chelates or pour with iron chelate.

Why is the wisteria not blooming? There may be several reasons:

• Too short cut;
• There were no forming trims;
• Excess nitrogen fertilizers and lack of phosphorus;
• The flower buds are frozen in the winter;
• The plant is too young;
• Wisteria is grown from seeds and will not flower at all.

Wisteria in landscape design

Wisteria is beautiful in itself and does not need to be emphasized. But it will look great against the background of green plantings or in company with tulips growing at the foot.

The wisteria will look especially beautiful against the background of the wall of the building or as a frame for a gazebo, balcony or terrace.

Formed as a standard tree or bonsai, the plant will effectively look like a tub plant anywhere in the garden or at home, during flowering it should be put in the most prominent place.

Light purple and white brushes of flowering wisteria do not leave anyone indifferent. Starting in spring, this tree-like liana pleases the eye with its flowering, which lasts all summer. In open ground, wisteria is widely distributed as an ornamental plant. This article will discuss the features of planting and caring for this beautiful liana.

Varieties and varieties

The tree-like wisteria liana also has the second name "wisteria". The subtropics are considered natural habitats, however, cultivated species can grow in almost any climate, and some varieties bred by American biologists can withstand severe winter frosts without shelter and retain the ability to bloom.

Wisteria is an incredibly beautiful liana that can be easily grown even in the north of Russia

In total, wisteria has 9 species, but most often you can find several of them:

Planting wisteria

When planting wisteria, it must be borne in mind that the plant is a perennial, and a place for it must be chosen for many years. If you want to achieve maximum flowering, then you should choose a site where the vine will be in the sun for at least half a day. In addition to the sun, care must be taken to ensure that the place is sufficiently protected from the wind, and the soil is nutritious and well-drained. Wisteria prefers slightly alkaline soils.

Planting wisteria is best done in the spring, after the last frost has passed. Despite the fact that most varieties of wisteria are frost-resistant, it is not worth putting young plants at risk once again.

For wisteria, it is necessary to determine a sunny place on the site.

Most often, wisteria is grown from seedlings. The soil is dug up with mineral fertilizer before planting, after which holes are dug 50 cm deep, into which young plants are placed.

If you plant wisteria from seeds, then the vine will not begin to bloom soon. At best, after 5 years, but very often only by 10 years.

wisteria care

Wisteria care begins with a garter of young shoots. Since the vine grows for a long time and has a high windage, the support must be durable and able to withstand wind loads.

Advice. It is best to tie a wisteria to the support, because independent weaving around the support can lead to the fact that in the fall it will be very difficult to remove the vine in preparation for winter.

The soil should not be calcareous, otherwise the wisteria leaves will brighten and lose their decorative effect.

Watering. Too wet soil can cause the plant to drop leaves and buds. Therefore, moderation in watering should be observed from the beginning of flowering until the end of summer. In the summer, additional spraying can be carried out so as not to once again fill the roots with water. In September, watering should be minimized and the plant should be allowed to prepare for winter.

The soil around the wisteria should not be too waterlogged.

Pruning. A very important condition for the flowering of wisteria is timely and correctly carried out pruning. Wisteria flowers develop on last year's and even earlier vines. Sometimes on young shoots of this year. Therefore, for the correct formation of color buds at the beginning of summer or at the end of May (depending on the flowering season of wisteria), the shoots of the last year are shortened, leaving no more than 30 cm.

In autumn, the shoots of the new season are cut off, cutting off 4 buds. After that, in early spring, while tying the vines to the support, last year's shoots are reduced by another 2 buds. By following these simple pruning rules, you will achieve the most decorative and lush flowering, which is so valued in wisteria.

pruning wisteria

Preparing for winter. Many varieties of wisteria are preferably covered for the winter, especially in the northern regions. Young shoots are considered the most vulnerable. In autumn, it is recommended to untie them from the support and lay them on the ground. The root part is added dropwise with a thick layer of earth, and the shoots are covered with spruce branches, a layer of leaves or a special covering material. The older the plant becomes, the higher its frost resistance, respectively, the less it needs winter shelter.

Scheme: pruning and shaping vines

Advice. In severe frosts, some of the young shoots still die, but you should not be upset because of this, because this is exactly the material that is to be pruned.

Fertilizer and top dressing wisteria

It is impossible to take your eyes off the photo with blooming wisterias. To achieve the same flowering on your vine, you should pay a little attention to top dressing. During active life, it is recommended to fertilize wisteria at least once a week, while it is best to alternate liquid mineral fertilizers with organic ones (for example, with mullein infusion diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20). A one-time top dressing in the summer can make a chalky solution. To do this, dilute 100 g of chalk in a bucket of warm water and pour the plant under the root.

No need to feed wisteria too often

Advice. Experienced gardeners remind that wisteria belongs to legumes, so you need to be careful with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Propagation of wisteria

There are many ways to propagate this beautiful vine.

The easiest way to propagate wisteria is cuttings. In late autumn, the vine is cut off from the bush, cut into cuttings, tied and cleaned in a cool place, after being buried in a damp base. In early spring, the vine is taken out of the basement and planted under plastic bottles. It can be planted both in a cold greenhouse, and immediately to a permanent place of deployment. Approximately half of the planted cuttings will take root.

In December, you can try to propagate wisteria vaccination. It must be done exclusively on the roots, because the wood of the vine is too soft, and it will not be possible to graft.

Wisteria is well propagated by cuttings.

A fairly effective method of reproduction is rooting layering. In the fall, when all the leaves fall off, the lowest shoots are slightly scarred, tilted to the ground and sprinkled with soil so that only the tops remain on the surface. Shoots are ringed from the side of the mother bush in the spring, when the buds begin to appear. And in the fall, it is necessary to check whether the root system of layering has developed sufficiently. If the roots have not yet grown sufficiently, then the layers are left in this form for another year. If the root system has developed enough, then the layers are dug up and planted in a new place.

Also common is the method of reproduction. winter cuttings. February is considered the best time for this. The shoot prepared in advance must be split lengthwise into two parts and the resulting halves cut into cuttings. The length of the cutting is about 5 cm, and in the center of each there must be a kidney. The cuttings are planted in boxes, maintaining a small distance between them, and the soil is sprinkled with sand on top. The boxes are stored in the greenhouse until rooting.

Young creeper

Another way that brings almost 100% results is reproduction. this year's shoots. In order for the root system to form faster, the lower edges of the cuttings must be treated with synthetic phytohormones in accordance with the instructions. After the cuttings have stood in the solution for 12 hours, they are washed with running water and planted in a greenhouse with a crumbly substrate prepared from equal parts of sand, earth and peat. You can plant petioles in boxes that need to be covered with glass and put in a light shade and watered once a day, maintaining sufficient soil moisture. When the first shoots appear, they switch to moderate watering (once every three days). In the fall, they are transferred to a sunny place or shading is removed.

wisteria seeds

Propagation of wisteria seeds many gardeners consider it ineffective, because the flowering of such vines may not begin, or begin only after a few years. Yes, and decorative properties are very rarely preserved. However, some shoots from seeds give unexpected results and young vines outshine the mother ones in their decorative qualities. Such findings are subsequently used for selection.

Seeds are sown in a greenhouse in the middle of winter. When sowing directly into open ground, it is best to do so in early spring. Seeds germinate late. However, this method of propagation also has its advantages - plants grown from seeds from the first days are adapted to natural surprises and are much more stable and hardy.

Pests and diseases of wisteria

Wisteria is quite resistant to diseases, but from time to time it is subjected to aphid occupation, which can be easily corrected with an insecticide. Some gardeners also noticed the raids of the clover mite, which is successfully destroyed by acaricidal preparations. Of the diseases, chlorosis can overcome wisteria if you place your vine on alkaline soil. This disease can be identified by yellowing and falling leaves. As a treatment, it is necessary to make fertilizing with iron salts.

clover mite

Wisteria in the garden

The flowering of wisteria is an unforgettable whirlpool of colors, in which long brushes of many shades - blue, red, white - rush down like an unrestrained waterfall, exuding a sweet aroma. In Japan, walking through a wisteria garden is like walking through paradise.

Perennial flowers can be planted under the wisteria

Very often in landscape design, wisteria is used as a vertical gardening site. Despite the fact that the liana occupies a minimum of space, its decorative effect is exceptional. With its help, unsightly walls, fences and any other buildings and technical structures that can spoil the overall appearance are decorated. This vine will help zone areas, acting as a screen and creating natural shelters from the sun and wind. To create an original ensemble, try planting hyacinths and daffodils at the base of the wisteria. Grouse, white tulips or wolfberry will look good against the background of wisteria. Numerous photos will tell you how best to decorate your garden with this beautiful creeper.

Unpretentious in care, wisteria is able to please the eye of any fastidious gardener.

How to cut wisteria correctly: video

Wisteria: photo

The wisteria flower attracts gardeners with its unsurpassed beauty and fragrant aroma. During flowering, wisteria (the second name of the plant) is covered with many flowering brushes, which, like a waterfall, fall from the bush. If you want to create a recreation area on your garden plot and are looking for a suitable flower for its decoration, then wisteria will come in handy more than ever. It is quite often used in vertical gardening, and the Japanese compare a walk in the park with flowering plant with a walk through the Gardens of Eden. natural to grow healthy shrub and to achieve abundant flowering, favorable microclimatic conditions should be created for it. We invite you to consider characteristics plants, its main types, as well as recommendations from wisteria care specialists.

What does wisteria look like?

Wisteria is also called wisteria. This is a tall tree-like climbing subtropical plant from the legume family.

Wisteria is a tree-like, flowering deciduous vine with hanging branches. mature plant can reach up to 15-20 meters in height. It has pinnate leaves up to 40 centimeters in length, which are covered with small villi in the first few years of the plant's life. The flowers are collected in drooping brushes, reaching up to 50 centimeters in length, and can be painted in purple, white or purple. Wisteria is characterized by a fairly long flowering, which lasts from late March to early September. It is often used in landscape design to create unusual flower arrangements, masking unsightly buildings and decorating parks. It can be grown as a liana, exquisitely wrapping around a fence, or an arbor, or a standard tree decorating a garden.

Wisteria is widely used in the design of plots and gardens.

Types and varieties of wisteria

Wisteria is a member of the genus dendroid climbing plants family Legumes, numbering 9 varieties. Almost all of them prefer a tropical climate, so for a long time they could not be grown in Russia. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of breeders, many varieties have appeared that do not require special care and are able to withstand temperatures as low as -23 ° C. Interestingly, even a guest house in the resort area of ​​​​Lazarevskoye and Feodosia was named after this beautiful flower. We propose to consider a description of the most common species, as well as to study their characteristic features.

There are various types of wisteria, the flowers of which can vary in shades.

wisteria sinensis blue sapphire

Blue sapphire is a leafy vine that can grow up to 15-20 meters in height under natural conditions. It has pinnate, large leaves. Young shoots are densely pubescent, but after some time they become smooth. Pale purple flowers are collected in loose brushes, reaching 20-30 centimeters in length. Get ready for the fact that the wisteria grows quite quickly, braiding all the supports that meet in its path. We recommend to prepare in advance for the flower separate place so as not to injure him later. Often, gardeners give the liana a standard shape through pruning. In this case, it grows up to only 6 meters and grows like a free-standing tree. During flowering, which lasts from September to August, wisteria exudes a pleasant aroma that spreads throughout the site. Also popular among gardeners was a variety of Chinese wisteria called prolific.

Chinese wisteria Blue Sapphire has a delicate purple flower color

wisteria alba

It is a decorative perennial deciduous vine. The plant has many falling shoots that can grow up to 25 meters in length. Massive stems (up to 30-35 centimeters in diameter) become woody over time. In the early stages of growth, young shoots should be directed in the right direction, because after they harden, it will be almost impossible to give them the desired shape. During the flowering period, wisteria is densely covered with clusters of snow-white flowers. There are also hybrids with pink and lavender buds. The main advantage of alba is long flowering. It blooms twice in one season: in early spring and towards the end of summer. Note that this variety is less frost-resistant than the previous one. Alba can be grown in the Rostov region, Crimea or Transcarpathia.

Wisteria Alba has beautiful snow-white earrings - inflorescences

Wisteria floribunda (profusely flowering, many-flowered)

The profusely flowering wisteria is a relatively small, woody vine. With proper care and timely pruning, it reaches 8-10 meters in height. Abundantly covered with large leaves, consisting of 11-19 dense ovate leaflets and reaching up to 40 centimeters in length. Interestingly, the stems of the plant twist strictly clockwise, their diameter at the base, as a rule, is 20-30 centimeters. Over the years, they become woody, and light green shoots are covered with dark gray bark. Flowering lasts from March to May, but with proper care can be repeated from July to August. During this period, many lilac-blue hanging racemose inflorescences are formed on the tops of the wisteria branches, capable of reaching up to 60 centimeters in length. The fruits are stored on the vine throughout the winter.

Wisteria floribunda - a small tree with a profusely flowering crown

Wisteria macrostachia (large cluster)

Macrostachia wisteria is native to North America. It is distinguished from previous varieties by dense, large inflorescences. The value of this species lies in the fact that it served as the basis for the creation of two frost-resistant varieties: Blue Moon and Clara Mac. The first variety has become the most widespread, so below we will consider it in more detail.

Wisteria macrostachia has large flowers compared to other species.

Wisteria frost-resistant blue moon

Blue moon wisteria is better than other hybrids for growing in the middle lane, as it has increased frost resistance, which allows it to overwinter well even with temperature drops down to -40 ° C. This cultivar is a tree-like, deciduous, fast-growing vine whose stems grow up to 8 meters in length. It has compound, pinnate leaves, consisting of 7-9 small pointed leaflets. Cone-shaped inflorescences, painted in blue-lilac color, cover the plant abundantly. As a rule, this variety is used for vertical gardening, arbors, terraces, unsightly walls and buildings. If you create favorable conditions for wisteria, it will delight you with long and repeated flowering. As we have already noted, this species is characterized by increased frost resistance, therefore it can be grown even in cool latitudes, for example, in the Urals.

Wisteria blue moon is one of the types of large-flowered wisteria that can be grown even in the Ural latitudes

Wisteria room

Wisteria is a flower that can be grown not only in open ground, but also in room conditions. Naturally, indoor wisteria requires constant pruning, because the plant grows quite quickly, reaching up to 2 - 3 meters in height. A standard tree can be an excellent decoration for a winter garden or a hall. In autumn, the tree is planted in a compact container, and then transferred to a dry, well-lit room with an air temperature of 15 - 20 ° C. In early spring, young shoots are cut off, forming a beautiful crown, and in summer they are taken out to the balcony or placed in the garden. If caring for a flower seems too complicated for you, artificial wisteria can also become the decoration of your apartment.

A small wisteria tree can be grown at home

wisteria bonsai

Recently, wisteria bonsai has gained immense popularity, so more and more flower growers are trying to master the art of its cultivation. Wisteria is great for creating bonsai, as it is plastic, fast growing, unpretentious in care and excellent decorative properties. Of course, it will take a lot of time and effort to grow a dwarf tree, but we assure you that the result will pleasantly surprise you. Wisteria bonsai looks very exotic, so it can become a real highlight of your interior.

Wisteria at home can be grown in the form of a bonsai

wisteria beautiful

It is a vine with densely pubescent shoots that can reach up to 10 meters in length. It has compound leaves, which are also covered with tiny whitish-gray villi. Small flowers gather in beautiful hanging inflorescences. White brushes, densely covering the plant, can grow up to 50 centimeters in length. Flowering lasts from early May to June, and in July, bean-shaped fruits form on the wisteria. When planting, one should take into account the fact that with age, the stems of the vine become very woody and its weight increases significantly. We recommend that you immediately choose a full-fledged support for it, so that in the future you will not have problems with its weaving. When buying seedlings, keep in mind that full flowering will come only in the second or third year after planting. The fact is that this species adapts to a new place for a rather long time, so the first years after planting, one should not expect the appearance of many inflorescences.

Wisteria beautiful has dense whitish inflorescences

Wisteria shrub

It is also known as the American wisteria, since the United States is considered its homeland. For many years, shrub wisteria has been successfully grown in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The plant feels good both indoors and in the garden. Powerful creeper shoots can reach 15 meters in height, twist clockwise. The stems of mature plants become woody, which leads to an increase in the weight of the tree. Consider this feature when choosing a support. The flowering period falls on May-June. A distinctive feature of this species are relatively small inflorescences and the absence of a pleasant aroma in the buds. Bright leaves consist of 9-15 segments and open together with flowers. At the end of flowering on the branches, fruits are formed in the form of pods with beans. The described variety is excellent for the formation of bonsai.

Shrub wisteria is distinguished by small inflorescences and shrub height

Wisteria japonica

It is somewhat more compact than Chinese wisteria and rarely grows above 8-9 meters. Despite this, the Japanese variety has rather large leaves (up to 40 centimeters) and bright brushes that abundantly cover the vine. The color of the flowers depends on the variety you purchased and can be snow-white, pink or pale purple. In flower shops you can find varieties with double flowers or hybrids with variegated leaves. This species is distributed exclusively in the southern regions, so it is not able to withstand the effects of low temperatures. As for the decorative properties, the Japanese wisteria is also slightly inferior to the Chinese in this matter.

Japanese wisteria - a small heat-loving tree with large lush inflorescences

How to care for wisteria at home

If you decide to decorate your apartment or garden with this outlandish plant, you should definitely read the recommendations for caring for it.

Remember that it is on your efforts that the growth rate and splendor of wisteria blooms depend. In addition, the correct placement of the plant, timely watering, top dressing and pruning are the key to its health and resistance to various diseases.

Lighting

Wisteria is a long-liver, in nature there are trees whose age is 100-150 years. It is valued for its lush flowering, which largely depends on the planting site. Wisteria is a photophilous plant, so it is recommended to place it in well-lit places. At least 5-6 hours a day, the vine should be exposed to direct sunlight. Otherwise, the leaves will fade, and there will be much fewer inflorescences on the tree. best choice there will be a location of the wisteria at the southern wall of the house, where it will be protected from drafts, strong winds and will be able to get enough of the sun's rays.

Wisteria is very fond of sunlight, so it should be placed on the south side of the house

Temperature

The main factor that for a long time prevented the spread of wisteria in our country is its thermophilicity. tender plant simply could not withstand the harsh Russian winters, because his homeland is the subtropical regions. Fortunately, many years of work of breeders have borne fruit and now on the market you can find many varieties that can withstand temperatures from -20°C to -40°C. Optimum temperature for the wisteria summer period– 20-30°С. In winter, homemade wisteria is required special care, so we recommend moving it to a room with a temperature of 10-15 ° C. In spring, the tree should be placed on a balcony or terrace.

Some types of wisteria can withstand the high sub-zero temperatures of Russian conditions.

Humidity

From the beginning of flowering, it is necessary to regularly spray wisteria with warm settled water. Their frequency should be determined based on air temperature. From the beginning of autumn, the number of sprayings must be reduced, and in winter they should be completely stopped.

Watering

The plant requires regular watering, but does not tolerate excess moisture. Excessive moisture can cause the leaves to fall and the buds to fall off the wisteria. In early spring, when the herbaceous vine is preparing to bloom, it needs to be provided with frequent, plentiful watering. As soon as the buds form, it should be slightly reduced so as not to harm the wisteria. The soil should be slightly moist, so water only as needed. In early October, the amount of watering should be minimized, since during this period the plant begins to prepare for wintering.

Wisteria does not tolerate overflow, it needs moderate watering.

top dressing

Liana is characterized by fairly rapid growth: in one season, shoots can grow by 1-3 meters. Naturally, this requires a significant amount of energy from the plant. Experts recommend regular fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers to stimulate abundant flowering and rapid growth of wisteria.

For faster growth, wisteria is fed with mineral fertilizers.

Bloom

Depending on the variety, the flowering of wisteria can last from 2 weeks to a month. Some hybrids bloom up to 2-3 times per season. During this period, the flower requires frequent spraying, moderate watering and frequent feeding. It is advisable to trim the vines from time to time, removing dried or faded inflorescences. Also, take care of the support in advance, from which the racemose buds will beautifully descend.

Wisteria blooms for a very long time and in the warm season, wisteria produces brushes - inflorescences

How to prune wisteria for flowering

Pruning is carried out in two cases: to stimulate the formation of more inflorescences and to give the plant the desired shape. If you decide to arrange wisteria as a standard tree, then select one powerful stem and remove all the rest. In the event that you use a vine for vertical gardening, strongly growing side shoots should also be cut. This is done so that the wisteria directs all its forces to the formation of buds. Take a good look at the vine, and then remove the young stems that stick out unaesthetically from the bush or cover the flower clusters. In addition, the formation of inflorescences on young shoots is possible only if their length does not exceed 30 centimeters. At the end of flowering, the plant should be given the desired shape, so cut the side shoots by 20-40 centimeters, and shorten them by another 15 centimeters in August.

To form the direction of growth of wisteria in the spring, it must be cut

How wisteria reproduces

If you have become the proud owner of a delicate wisteria, you will no doubt want to propagate this beautiful plant. Standard trees will give your garden plot exotic look, and creepers will hide the flaws of buildings, decorate gazebos or create an incredible "live" fence. There are several breeding methods, we will consider each of them in more detail so that you can choose the right one for yourself.

Stem and root cuttings

This is the simplest method that even novice gardeners can easily perform. In October or November, carefully cut the vine from the vine and divide into small cuttings with a pruner. Then put them in a container with a damp substrate and place them in a cool place, such as a basement. In March, cuttings can be planted in a school or placed in a permanent place in the garden, covered with plastic bottles. This method is practically no different from grape propagation, but the success rate is only 50%. Winter cuttings are carried out from February to March. The prepared stems are carefully cut in half along the axis, and then the resulting halves are divided into small cuttings 5 ​​centimeters in length.

It is important that there is one kidney in the center on each handle.

Next, the seedlings are rooted in boxes with a substrate at a distance of 5 centimeters from each other and sprinkled with a small amount of sand. When placing the cuttings, make sure that the kidney is at the top. Propagation by root cuttings is also possible, but this method requires high costs time and effort. In March, the plant is dug up, the young roots are significantly cut off, and part of the large roots at the root collar is also cut. After all the manipulations, the tree is planted in its usual place. The procedure stimulates the emergence of many new roots that can quickly form adventitious buds, from which stems soon appear. It is these roots that you will need for cuttings.

Scheme of propagation of wisteria by cuttings

In autumn, wisteria is dug up again, examined for the presence of young roots, and with the help of a pruner near the root neck, a transverse incision is made, removing them. The thickness of the root cuttings should be in the range of 5 to 15 centimeters, so you can immediately get rid of the thin tips of the roots and side roots. Treat seedlings with a fungicide to prevent disease. Next, they should be planted in a prepared, moistened substrate and placed in a warm, bright room. Within a month, you will be able to notice the appearance of the first stems, and in the fall the plant will be ready for planting in open ground.

layering

This is perhaps the most efficient method. It is carried out in late autumn, after the leaves have completely fallen off. Examine the vine, select several powerful lower shoots, cut them slightly, bend them down, and then attach them to the ground with a special hairpin. The resulting layering must be sprinkled with earth in such a way that only their tops remain on the surface. In April, the stems must be ringed from the side of the mother plant. By autumn, the plant will take root, and you can transplant it to the desired area. If the cutting develops very slowly, then it is better to postpone the transplant until the next season.

Scheme of propagation of wisteria by layering

seeds

Experts do not recommend propagating wisteria with seeds, as some seedlings grown in this way do not bloom. Planting material is sown in special containers with a substrate in December or January. If you want to sow the seeds immediately in open ground, then do it in March or April. Wisteria is characterized by late germination, and seed germination lasts up to 3 years. The seeds planted in the container must be germinated at a temperature of 22-25ºС, regularly moistening the soil. The first shoots will appear 3-4 weeks after planting, and starting from the 5th week they can be taken out in the sun. As soon as the seedlings form the first pair of true leaves, dive them into individual pots. From this point on, seedlings must be prepared for planting in open ground. Take them out to the balcony every day or move them to an unheated room. By April, young wisteria will be ready to move to their summer cottage.

Wisteria seedlings can be grown from seeds

How to plant wisteria

Now that you've learned about everyone possible ways reproduction, we should talk about planting a plant in open ground. Whether the wisteria will take root in a new place depends on the quality of the soil, the correct placement and planting.

The soil

Wisteria is not very demanding on the soil, but prefers to grow on loose, fertile, well-drained soils. If you decide to grow it in a flowerpot, we recommend that you purchase a suitable substrate in a specialized flower shop. You can make it yourself by mixing 4 parts leaf ground with 1 part sod and 1 part sand. To protect the plant from pest infestation and the occurrence of fungal infections, first calcine the soil in the oven or treat it with fungicides.

Growing wisteria in a pot

Container growing involves the formation of a standard tree. It will serve as an unusual decor for a hall or a winter garden. Such a plant can be carried out on Fresh air not before June. Note that indoor species have a rather small root system, so it is better to give preference to small containers. In spacious flowerpots, the flower will rapidly increase its green mass, which will negatively affect flowering. In summer, it is better to keep wisteria outside, but in winter it should be moved to a room where the air temperature ranges from 8 to 10 ° C. Please note that keeping in a well-heated room in winter will lead to the death of the tree. You can even send the plant to the basement, but from mid-January it needs to be gradually adapted to higher temperatures. By the beginning of March, wisteria is transferred to a room or to a glazed balcony.

Wisteria can be grown in a pot at room conditions almost all year, but in winter they are taken to a cooler place.

Planting wisteria in open ground

In early spring, as soon as the last frosts have passed, seedlings can be planted. Even if you have opted for frost-resistant wisteria, you should not expose a fragile plant to the risk of frostbite. Wisteria is a perennial, so immediately decide on its location. The selected area should be protected from drafts and be in the sun for at least 5-6 hours a day. Next, consider step by step algorithm planting plants.

1. Dig holes measuring 60x60x50 centimeters.
2. Apply complex mineral fertilizers to the soil. As a rule, it is enough to take 20-30 grams per 1 square meter, but it is better to use the mixture according to the dosages indicated on the package.
3. Place the seedlings in the holes vertically, and then fill them with earth so that the growing points or leaves are on the surface.
4. Moisten the soil well, sprinkle it with sand on top.

Wisteria is mainly planted outdoors where it can reach its full growth.

Don't worry if the wisteria doesn't grow at first. The fact is that it adapts to new conditions for quite a long time, so you should be patient and, of course, take care of the tree.

Care after landing

After planting, first of all, mulch the young wisteria 10 centimeters above the neck. For these purposes, you can use peat or dry composted grass. Lay out the mulch in an even layer and do not remove it throughout the year. In summer, it will protect the root system from overheating, and in winter, on the contrary, it will help to avoid frostbite. By the way, in winter, you need to take care of shelter. This is especially true for species that do not tolerate exposure to low temperatures. Your main task after planting the plant is to carry out timely watering, fertilizing and loosening the soil. If you carefully follow the recommendations, next year the seedling will delight you with bright shoots.

In order for the wisteria to be comfortable in summer and warm in winter, you can mulch the soil around the trunk.

Diseases and pests of wisteria

Unfortunately, wisteria does not have increased disease resistance, so you will have to constantly monitor the plant and carry out preventive treatments. The most common disease is powdery mildew. Infection can be identified by a disgusting whitish layer covering the leaves. It is quite easy to wash with a damp cloth, but reappears after a few hours. If you do not take action in time, the leaves will dry up and fall off, the branches will bend, and the vine will stop developing. Modern fungicides, for example, Vitaros, Fundazol or Previkur, will help solve the problem. Treat the ground stems with a solution prepared according to the instructions, and after a couple of weeks, repeat the procedure to consolidate the result. Chlorosis is also often found, which occurs when there is a lack of iron in the soil. Leaves lose their ability to produce chlorophyll and begin to turn yellow. In such a situation, experts recommend transplanting the plant to another place or replacing the soil in the flowerpot, having previously enriched it with iron. For these purposes, you can use drugs such as Ferovit or Antichlorosis. To quickly bring the plant back to life, spray its stems and foliage, and do not pour the product under the root.

Wisteria can be affected by pests such as caterpillars

How poisonous is wisteria

When planting a plant, one should take into account the fact that all its parts are poisonous. But poisoning can only be caused if the fruits, flowers or leaves of wisteria are eaten. Such a meal can cause diarrhea, colic, dizziness and even vomiting. If you have decorated a suburban area with a liana, immediately explain to the children that beautiful flowers should not be eaten. Also make sure that your pets do not eat wisteria. Do not place wisteria near ponds with fish to eliminate the risk of their death. Otherwise, the plant is completely harmless. Of course, it will not be superfluous to play it safe and protect yourself, so wear rubber gloves when doing garden work.

Wisteria is a riot of flowers and colors that will certainly captivate you. With its help, it will not be difficult to put old buildings in order, arrange a fence or decorate a gazebo, and a wisteria grown in the form of a standard tree will help bring a touch of exotic to the interior. If you only dream of acquiring this wonderful plant, we invite you to watch a video tutorial on creating a wisteria from beads, which describes in detail the assembly and decoration of a delicate tree.

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Wisteria or wisteria is a large tree-like vine in the legume family. It can be called a real flowering miracle, since several times a year the plant is abundantly covered with multi-colored garlands of delicate flowers, similar to jets of colorful rain with a pleasant sweetish aroma. Charming wisteria is planted in parks and gardens. It makes an indelible impression on any passer-by. The habitat of wisteria affects the humid subtropical forests of China and Japan, it grows well in the Black Sea region and in southern Russia. Breeders managed to develop several frost-resistant varieties suitable for temperate climates.

plant description

Wisteria is a perennial deciduous vine. It branches from the very base and after a year the shoots become more durable, woody. They are covered with brown bark with deep vertical grooves. The length of the vine can reach 18-20 m. The stems of the first year are covered with a smooth olive bark.

On young shoots, large petiolate foliage of an unpaired form blooms. The length of one sheet reaches 30 cm. It has 7-13 oval-shaped segments with solid edges and a pointed end. Dark green leaves are covered with a short pile immediately after emergence, but gradually become smooth.

Large inflorescences of some species appear in early spring, before the foliage blooms. Others bloom after the leaves appear. Under favorable conditions, wisteria blooms up to three times a year. Long drooping flower stalks are completely dotted with small flowers in the form of moths. Their structure is characteristic of all legumes. The entire racemose inflorescence with closely growing buds looks like a garland. The color of the flowers is dominated by various shades of blue and purple. There are also white, pink and yellow wisterias.

The plant is pollinated by insects, after which long flat beans of an ashen or gray-brown hue ripen. Inside them are several round flat seeds of dark brown color.

Types and varieties for the garden

In total, 9 species are registered in the wisteria genus, but only 3 of them are especially popular in landscape design. Thanks to the work of breeders, varieties with a variety of petal colors, as well as frost-resistant ones, appeared.

A woody vine, climbing a support, twists around it counterclockwise. The height of the vine reaches 15-20 m. It is covered with regular pinnate leaves with 7-13 segments. In spring, before the leaves open, drooping racemose inflorescences up to 30 cm long appear. Light purple flowers exude a pleasant intense aroma. The variety loves heat and can only withstand short-term cold snaps down to -20°C. Decorative varieties:

• Alba - with long snow-white inflorescences;
• Captivity - flowers on drooping brushes have a terry shape and are painted in a white-lilac hue;
• Sierra Madre - blooms in late March with lavender-purple brushes;
• Blue Sapphire - a vine up to 20 m long is covered with large emerald foliage. In May, long, racemose inflorescences hang on flexible peduncles, light purple moth flowers bloom on them.

The plant lives in North America. Its height is 10-15 m. Growth is less aggressive. A distinctive feature is resistance to frost down to -35 ... -40 ° C. 7-9 dark green segments grow on the petiole. The length of the brush is 20-30 cm. Varieties:

• Blue moon (“Blue Moon”) - a frost-resistant variety awakens a little later and blooms with blue-lilac tassels with a delicate aroma;
• Clara Mac is a less winter-hardy plant with snow-white tassels up to 35 cm in length.

Wisteria multiflorum (flowering). Liana with lignified shoots grows up to 7-10 m in length. It climbs along a vertical support in a clockwise direction. Young stems are covered with large (about 40 cm) dark green pinnate leaves. There are up to 19 leaf blades on the petiole. Inflorescences on the vine bloom much larger. The length of the brush can reach 50-60 cm. Due to the closely spaced flowers and inflorescences, the vine gives the impression of a continuous blooming and fragrant canopy. The buds open from the base of the peduncle, they are painted in light purple or blue. The flowering period begins in May.

Reproduction features

Wisteria is propagated by cuttings, air layering, grafting and seeds. For seed propagation, it is necessary to prepare pots with sand, leafy and soddy soil. Large seeds are evenly distributed on the surface and deepened by 1 cm. The soil is watered and covered with a film. The pot is kept at +25°C. Seeds germinate in 3-4 weeks. Germination is about 25%. Sprouts need to provide bright diffused light. The film can be removed. With the appearance of two true leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into separate small pots with a clod of earth so as not to damage the rhizome. For several hours a day they are hardened in a cool room. For the next spring, seedlings can be identified for a permanent place in the garden. Unfortunately, this method is not very efficient. Flowering occurs in 5-10 years, and varietal characteristics are not transmitted to offspring.

The simplest propagation method for the average gardener is the air layering method. For him, in early spring, an oblique cut is made on a one-year-old shoot. The stem is tilted and immersed in a container with earth. The top must remain free. After 1-3 months, up to half of these shoots take root. To increase rooting, the cut is treated with a preparation for the formation of roots. By August, the layers will be quite strong, but the branch is produced for next spring.

In late autumn, after the foliage has fallen, one-year-old cuttings are harvested. Each should contain 2-3 internodes. The branches are tied in a small bundle and placed in a pot with moist soil. In early spring, the cuttings are taken out of storage and planted in a cold greenhouse or immediately in open ground. Each branch is covered with a plastic cap. When the cutting takes root and the buds bloom, the cap is removed.

The grafting method is suitable only for experienced gardeners. Grafting of a varietal plant is done on the roots. The procedure is carried out in May-June, so that the plant has time to take root before frost.

Landing Rules

For planting wisteria, you should choose a sunny, warm place that is protected from drafts. She will be comfortable on the south side of the house or fence, where direct sunlight hits most of the day. With a lack of sun, flowering and development is reduced.

Planting creepers is best done at the end of March, when the snow has completely melted and the earth has warmed up. Short-term frosts are not terrible for all types of wisteria, but it is better to wait until they pass. The soil for planting should be nutritious and well-drained. Wisteria prefers neutral or slightly alkaline soils. A planting hole up to 60 cm deep is prepared for each seedling. Mineral top dressing is first applied to the ground.

After planting, the plants are well watered. You need to be prepared for the fact that the first year wisteria adapts for a long time and grows slowly. Only after 2-3 years, long thin shoots will turn into dense stems similar to a tree trunk.

Care Secrets

Charming wisteria is famous for its undemanding character. Already for 2-3 years, the first inflorescences appear, and after a few more years, the number of flowering necklaces will be difficult to count.

Watering. Wisteria needs to be watered regularly so that the soil is slightly moist but dries out in the top layer. In dry weather, 1-2 buckets of water are poured weekly under each bush. It is recommended to periodically spray the shoots. During flowering and active growth, irrigation should be more abundant. From the end of summer, watering is gradually reduced and the plant is prepared for wintering.

Fertilizer. In early spring, wisteria is fed with compositions with a high nitrogen content. Somewhat later, mullein infusion or compost is added. To prevent the soil from becoming acidic, it is recommended to periodically fertilize the wisteria with chalky water.

Crown formation. The plant needs a garter and the direction of all young shoots. Liana is quickly gaining weight, so the support for her must be reliable and stable. There are 2 main ways to form a crown:

• Standard - the formation of a kind of tree. The central, strongest shoot is left, cutting off the lateral processes at the base. At the required height, several skeletal branches are formed. The same form is practiced in miniature, creating bonsai from wisteria.
• Climbing - lateral processes are removed along the entire length of the vine to get a single long lash, curled in the right direction.

For more abundant flowering, vines are pruned twice a year. The first manipulation is planned at the end of flowering. All lateral processes are cut to 2/3. After the leaves fall, in November, some of the old and young side branches are removed. Flower buds are formed on short shoots of the current year. It is also recommended to trim wilted inflorescences.

Wintering. One-year-old plants in open ground are recommended to be removed from the trellis and laid on the ground on top of several boards. From above, the plant is covered with fallen leaves and spruce branches. Most varieties do not tolerate frost well, the tips of the branches often freeze slightly. Only wisteria "blue moon" can be grown in central Russia. But even its stem base is covered with lutrasil and fallen leaves.

Wisteria in landscape design

A large, fast-growing vine requires ample space, so a single plant will suffice in a small garden. It is planted near the walls of the house, along the fence, near the gazebo or pergola. With the help of a green cover, ugly buildings can be masked. Wisteria not only creates an excellent green wall, but also dissolves a huge number of bright inflorescences.

Arches and corridors made of wisteria look impressive on a large territory. Moreover, you can use several plants of the same variety or combine varieties with different colors of inflorescences. Then you get an amazingly beautiful rainbow.

Hyacinths, daffodils, tulips and wolfberries are often planted at the base of the vine. To please yourself with a heat-loving variety, you can plant wisteria in a tub. In the summer, it is taken out into the garden, and in winter it is removed to a bright, but cool (+10 ... + 12 ° C) room.

Blooming wisteria is a firework of long, bright and colorful fragrant racemes. Her blue, purple, pink and white clusters hang in openwork streams that are impossible not to fall in love with. Even the restrained Japanese adore this vine and gladly decorate their gardens with it.

Wisteria Chinensis, Chinese wisteria, is a densely leafed liana whose shoots reach a height of 20 m. It belongs to the genus of deciduous climbing shrubs of the legume family native to East Asia.

Its inflorescences reach 30 cm, bloom almost at the same time as the foliage blooms and continue to bloom all summer. At the same time, they often bloom again in August.

Growing a plant in a garden is used by many designers and gardeners for vertical gardening of the estate.

It, with its unsurpassed decorative effect, takes up a minimum of space, but creates an incomparable home comfort. Wisteria (or wisteria - its second name) can perfectly decorate a nondescript wall - it is an excellent garden climber, grows, clinging to any supports and fences. She can drape unsightly parts of the garden, divide the space of the yard with green screens, receiving protection from the sun and wind.

Graceful feathery foliage enhances the decorativeness of the plant, its golden tints effectively enliven autumn garden. If the wisteria is cut correctly, you can form a standard or tree-like upright shape. It perfectly adapts to urban conditions, under cover it can tolerate short-term frosts.

Wisteria floribunda is a profusely flowering wisteria (or many-flowered) native to Japan. It reaches a height of 10 m has large (up to 50 cm) hanging racemose inflorescences with flowers of violet-blue hues. It begins to bloom 15-20 days later than the Chinese, after the leaves bloom. At the same time, her flowers open gradually: descending from the base of the brushes down. Wisteria floribunda blooms until mid-June, with some varieties blooming again from July to August. This type of wisteria is more decorative than Chinese: when flowering ends, large (up to 45 cm in length) leaves act as an excellent decoration. It is also more cold hardy.

There are several of its decorative forms: pink, white, purple terry, large-clustered (inflorescences grow up to 1.5 m), with variegated foliage.

In the USA, a frost-resistant wisteria Blue Moon with blue inflorescences was bred. It tolerates frosts down to -37C without shelter.

Chinese prolific wisteria (Wisteria sinensis prolific) has bluish-purple flowers with a lighter base.

They are collected in long brushes. The prolific variety begins to bloom already from the 2nd or 3rd year after planting, blooms profusely and for a long time in May, under favorable conditions it blooms again in August.

Grows up to 6 m, adding 1-2 m per year. The leaves are complex-pinnate, green, turning yellow in autumn. Shoots twist to the right. It withstands the Polish climate well, but freezes in severe winters.

Wisteria Chinese alba - a shrub with white tassels is considered one of the most prominent representatives of this type of liana. Alba variety grows mainly in China. It reaches a height of 10 m. It blooms simultaneously with the blooming of leaves in April and May.

In the first years of life, all wisterias grow long and thin branches, subsequently they form a dense tree-like trunk, sometimes more than 15 cm in diameter. The height is limited only by the height of the supports along which they weave. Wisteria plants are very durable, they live up to 100 and even 150 years.

Rules and features of growing Chinese wisteria

Planting and care of the vine is not particularly difficult. It is quite resistant to diseases and is rarely attacked by pests, but sometimes suffers from caterpillars, green aphids.

In order for the plant to grow well and bloom magnificently, it is enough to follow simple rules:

• choose a sunny and wind-sheltered location (south-facing walls of the house are best);
• provide the vine with a durable and strong support - it has a large windage, and even young shoots will independently braid around the support, which will lead to problems when removing the vine in the fall for shelter before frost;
• choose light, not very wet, fertile, well-permeable soil (it feels very bad in calcareous soils);
• in a planting hole measuring 60x60x50 cm, it is best to pour a mixture of peat, sand, humus and soddy soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 3
• water moderately, not very often - due to too wet soil, wisteria can drop leaves and buds, it is better to spray it in the heat, and almost stop watering at the end of September - so the plant is better prepared for winter;
• during the period of budding and flowering, apply liquid fertilizers (for this, dilute 10-20 g of fertilizers in a bucket of water and use it per 1 sq. M of area).

Little tricks and secrets of care

Planting wisteria in pots or flowerpots where it develops quite well, followed by regular pruning, forms a bonsai and is great for Japanese gardens.

By pruning it correctly, you can grow a standard tree and transfer it in the fall to a room with a temperature of 8-10 degrees, a humidity of 65-75% and good lighting. Water very little in winter, and in early spring, cut the lateral young shoots to 2-3 strong buds.

In any case, it is better to grow a shrub in the first summer in a container, and already there begin to form its skeleton. Leave the 2-3 strongest shoots and let them grow as much as possible. Tie them up as they grow, otherwise they will stop developing, and their tips will dry out. As a rule, with proper care, wisteria in one season grows to the size to which you will cut it in subsequent years (about 2 m, a larger plant is already problematic to cover).

In anticipation of winter, cover wisteria seedlings, especially young ones. Untie the branches from the support and lay on the ground. Dig in the root part (fill in several buckets of earth), cover the shoots with breathable and dry material - agrofiber or rags, coniferous spruce branches (in the absence of such, you can use cardboard boxes with holes), dry foliage.

Pay special attention to pruning, as the abundance of wisteria blooms depends on its correctness and timeliness. Flower buds are laid on last year and more old wood, as well as on flower shoots of small length that have grown in the current year. In this regard, annually cut strongly (up to a length of 30 cm) last year's branches. And already in August, shorten the shoots of the current year by 4-5 buds. Carry out the next pruning in early spring, after removing the shelter, adjusting the height of the plant, shaping it and removing dry and frozen shoots.

If you decide to propagate wisteria, do it with layering - this is the most effective and easy way. It is possible to grow it from seeds, but with this method, varietal characteristics are transmitted extremely rarely. In addition, the seeds have a fairly low germination rate - about 25%. The resulting seedlings bloom later and not very luxuriantly.