Wisteria sinensis, commonly known as Chinese wisteria, is a deciduous perennial vine offering 3 seasons of interest, blooming in late spring in a spectacular display of masses of dramatic drooping clusters dense with pea-like, mauve to lavender flowers. The sweetly fragrant flowers attract butterflies and are followed by attractive, velvety, bean-like seed pods in autumn that linger into winter.

A long-lived woody vine, Wisteria sinensis has a vigorous, fast growth rate and a climbing habit of twining stems covered in pinnate, dark green leaves. It’s perfect for covering arbors and trellises and climbing walls and fences. But its trunk-like stems can also be trained into a small tree.

Wisteria prefers full sun to dappled shade and humusy, fertile, medium moisture, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH. Once established, the plant can tolerate a little drought, but it should never be allowed to sit in soggy soil. The plant