A fabulous gazebo in the garden: how to grow wisteria at home and how to care for it

The wisteria vine plant is popular among gardeners because its charm and fabulous appearance leave no one indifferent. With proper care, wisteria densely wraps its branches around arbors, arches, and can even climb walls.

The magnificent inflorescences of the wisteria are admirable, they can have white, blue, purple, pink flowers, collected in hanging clusters. However, this plant requires careful maintenance. Moreover, all parts of the plant contain a toxic glycoside (wisterine), which can lead to severe gastroenteritis if ingested.

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The flowering of wisteria depends on the weather, usually beginning in early May and lasting until early June. If you live in a cooler region, the flowering will be later. Under favorable conditions, some types of vines can bloom again in late summer.

For wisteria to grow well, you should try not to damage its extensive root system. Also, it should not be fed with nitrogen fertilizers.

Important! Wisteria should not be planted next to other plants - it twines around them and destroys them.

Varieties of Japanese wisteria:

• "Alba" (Alba) - white flowers with a lilac tint, inflorescences 50-60 cm long;
• Burford - with lilac-blue flowers;
• "Multijuga" - with purple flowers;
• Violacea Plena - with purple, very large inflorescences;
• "Ivory Tower" - with white flowers;
• "Geisha" - a variety with white-purple flowers in long clusters;
• "Murasaki Nagi Fuji" - with white and purple flowers;
• "Shiro Naga Fuji" - with white flowers;
• "Rosea" - a variety with pink flowers in long inflorescences;
• "Snow Showers" - with white flowers.

Varieties of Chinese wisteria, which has larger flowers and grows much faster:

• "Alba" - with white flowers;
• "Caroline" - blue-violet flowers;
• "Prolific" - purple-blue flowers appear 2-3 years after planting, pleasant smell;
• "Blue sapphire" - wisteria with blue flowers;
• "Black Dragon" - a variety with double purple flowers;
• "Blue Moon" - wisteria with blue flowers;
• "Plena" - a variety with terry, lilac flowers;
• "Cooke's Purple" - with purple inflorescences.

When choosing a place to plant wisteria, make sure that the plant is provided with warmth and sun, and also protected from the wind. It also needs a lot of space and strong supports.

Japanese wisteria is best planted in fertile soil that is well-drained and retains moisture. If the soil is alkaline, its foliage will deteriorate. The plant does not tolerate nitrogen fertilizers. It responds better to humus. Therefore, it is recommended to mix the soil with compost or peat. Soil moisture in the first 2-3 years of wisteria growth is an important factor in its growth.

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When you buy wisteria seedlings, ask what they are grown from. If it is cuttings, the plant will bloom faster, if it is from seeds, then flowering can be achieved in just a few years.

In the spring, wisteria is planted outdoors. Preferably on a wooden or metal mesh.

Wisteria seedlings are placed in holes 60x60x50 cm in size, having previously applied mineral fertilizers to the soil in the area to be dug at the rate of 25-30 g per square meter of planting area.

After planting, the plant is quickly accepted and the growing season begins. At first, the bush grows a little slower, then the shoots can grow up to 3 meters per year. Caring for wisteria necessarily includes pruning. Regular shortening of the shoots increases their growth and has a positive effect on flowering.

In the first years of development, the plants are formed so that the main trunk and horizontal side branches are formed. The best time for sanitary pruning is early spring, when old, frozen or damaged shoots should be removed.

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