Sudden Partial Dieback of Wisteria

Hi,

I hope someone might be able to advise.  I have an oldish wisteria in my back garden which we inherited when we bought our house.  For the last 6 years it has been fine, vigerous and generally healthy (if a little lacking in flowers).  

This year, for the first time we have had some major dieback of various branches while others seem perfecly okay and not showing any signs of disease.  The thing has multiple branches (8 or so) which wind themselves all over the fence and around each other so it's quite difficult to trace each dying branch back to the main exit point from the soil.

I was wondering if this was quite common with wisteria or if there is any clue as to what may be the cause.  It has not been overwatered and the other plants in the same small bed all seem to be okay (mainly conifers).

Images below:  http://i.imgur.com/Lwt21.jpg 

http://i.imgur.com/0ZeB8.jpg 

http://i.imgur.com/rfRzR.jpg 

http://i.imgur.com/RfDz3.jpg

Many thanks

Paul

I don't know the cause of your particular problem.

However, I did have a large wisteria, which died quite suddenly. All of the stems and branches were dead. Somehow, the roots were still alive and the following year it threw up some small suckers. These have now redeveloped and grown, and the plant has now regained pretty much the size of the original plant, though it has taken a few years to regrow.

Many wisterias sold in garden centres are grafted. It is possible for the top to die, and for regrowth to come from the root stock, which may be more vigourous.