Or Put another way, Chinese or Japanese? Before you buy an expensive plant like a Wisteria you would be wise to know the difference between Chinese & Japanese varieties (species). I didn’t, I bought the first one I tripped over at the garden centre. I got lucky, picked the right one by accident… Both varieties take patience, mine was 7 years old before it flowered for the first time, and this is not uncommon.
The Wisteria sinensis (Chinese wisteria) is a woody, deciduous, perennial climbing vine, quite a persistent climber, pull the plumbing from the wall type climber. Mine will send a runner to the roofline in one season easily. The flowers are more delicate and the plant slightly easier and quicker to make into a standard than the Japanese, should you feel the need to. This plant likes to go clockwise, you can convince it to do otherwise but it wont thank you for it and will look butt ugly doing it. For all you control freaks out there however, this could be the plant of your dreams.
Wisteria floribunda(Japanese/American) is similarly persistent in its approach, and is commonly seen propping up buildings that would long ago have crumbled without it’s assistance. However, if it wasn’t for the spectacular flowers which are produced in great pendulous racemes up to a meter long, you would don a bio suit and take a Ripley style flame thrower to it. It’s really is fucking invasive – It will push past you as if on a mission from God. It likes to go anti-clock wise, and takes no prisoners.
I always wondered as to what was the difference between the two. I am off out into my garden to see which way mine twirls. I know it is called Amethyst, because it came from Wisley, and they are unlikely to make a mistake about that.
Hello No 55, The Amethyst Wisteria Carl Linnaeus described as the separate species Wisteria frutescens, a well behaved Northern American variety, perfectly well suited to a cottage garden. Happy gardening x