How to grow wisteria

Wisteria is a deciduous, climbing shrub, bearing beautiful pendants of scented flowers in May or June. There are many species of wisteria but the two most commonly grown in the UK are Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) and Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda). Wisteria sinensis grows in an anticlockwise direction and Wisteria floribunda grows in a clockwise direction.

Wisteria plants have incredibly strong and woody stems and, in time, the trunks can become as thick as small tree trunks – it's not a climbing plant for a delicate trellis. Wisteria also offers valuable autumn colour and attractive pea-like seed pods. If grown from seed, wisteria can take up to 20 years to flower. However, grafted plants are available to buy from garden centres and nurseries, which flower within four years of planting.

Where to plant wisteria

Grow wisteria against a house wall or other strong structure such as a sturdy pergola. It is possible to grow wisteria plants in a pot but only if growing it as a standard tree and when pruning it regularly to maintain its form – this is a very high maintenance option.

When to plant wisteria

The best time to plant wisteria is from autumn to spring, typically between October and April. If you're planting a wisteria in a pot you can plant it at any time of year, but it will establish better if planted in autumn or winter.

How to plant wisteria

Plant wisteria in spring or autumn. Prepare the soil well to ensure a good root run, and plant at the same level as it was in the original pot and water in well. Tie the stems in to galvanised wires fixed horizontally along the wall, as you would an espalier fruit tree. If growing up a pergola, remove all but one stem and tie this to the post.

How to plant wisteria in a pot

Wisterias can be grown in pots but you'll need to feed them regularly as they are hungry plants. Only go for this option if training your wisteria plant as a standard. Choose the largest pot you have space for – ideally with a diameter of 45cm – and use a good tree and shrub compost such as a peat-free John Innes No. 3. Plant at the same level as it was in the original pot and water in well.

How to care for wisteria

Wisteria is a hungry plant. On dry and sandy soils, water regularly and feed monthly with a high potash fertiliser (such as a tomato, rose or shrub fertiliser) during the growing season, to encourage more flowers to bloom.

In autumn, mulch with organic matter such as well-rotted horse manure or home-made compost. This locks in moisture, improves the soil fertility and increases microbial action in the soil, which helps plants to grow.

Wisterias in pots need more care than those growing in the ground. Water and feed them weekly, then, in spring, remove as much of the compost as possible and replace with fresh, peat-free, loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 3.

There is no additional care required for wisterias in winter.

How and when to prune wisteria

Prune wisteria twice a year, in August and February. For the first few years give your attention to training the plant into the support. This involves pruning very low branches out, training in strong side shoots and cutting back side shoots to five buds in early August.

How to prune wisteria plants in winter

By pruning in winter as well as summer, you will encourage the development of short spurs that carry the flowers in spring. Do this any time in the dormant season – late October to March.

1. Tie in new growth to extend the main framework over its support
2. Cut remaining long stems back hard.

In this video guide to winter-pruning wisteria plants, David Hurrion explains how to restrict vigorous, leafy growth so it doesn’t obscure developing flower buds:

How to prune wisteria in summer

Summer-pruning wisteria encourages the development of short-flowering spurs that will carry the blooms in spring.

1. Cut the long vigorous shoots back to a couple of buds from the base of the current season's growth
2. For young plants (less than three years old), select a few strong shoots to tie into wires or trellis
3. On older wisterias, simply prune side shoots back to your framework of strong shoots

How to propagate wisteria

It can take several years for a wisteria to flower from a cutting, so very few gardeners propagate wisteria, choosing to buy a plant instead. However, if you want a challenge, take softwood cuttings in mid spring.

1. Cut lengths of young stems and trim them back to about 10cm, just below a leaf joint
2. Remove the lower leaves, leaving about four at the top of each cutting
3. Fill pots with cutting compost, and then water, allowing it to drain
4. Insert the cuttings into the pots so the leaves don’t touch, and then cover with a clear plastic bag
5. Place the cuttings in a well-lit room and ensure they don’t dry out
6. When signs of growth are evident remove the bag and pot on

Pests and diseases

The most common problem experienced by wisteria growers is lack of flowers. Wisterias take time to flower; expecting flowers before the plant is four years old may be unrealistic.

Here, David Hurrion offers advice on locating, pruning and feeding your wisteria, for maximum blooms.

Will wisteria damage my foundations?

A wisteria-clad house looks lovely in spring. But can the roots damage your foundations? Catherine Mansley, BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, explains in our Quick Tips video:

Wisteria varieties to grow

Wisteria sinensis – Chinese wisteria bears blue flowers in May or June before the foliage. Very fragrant. Height x Spread: 9m x 4m

• Buy Wisteria sinensis from Crocus

Wisteria floribunda ‘Multijuga’ Japanese wisteria, of all the wisterias this has the longest pendants of flowers. Lilac flowers that appear with the leaves in June. H x S: 9m x 3m

• Buy Wisteria floribunda ‘Multijuga’ from Crocus

Wisteria floribunda ‘Kuchi-beni’ – mauve-pink flowers in June with the foliage. Floribunda types are not as vigorous as others. H x S: 9m x 5m

• Buy Wisteria floribunda ‘Kuchi-beni’ from Crocus

Wisteria floribunda ‘Domino’ – suitable where space is limited. Blue flowers in May or June with the foliage. H x S: 6m x 3m

• Buy Wisteria floribunda ‘Domino’ from Thompson & Morgan

Wisteria sinensis ‘Alba’ – white flowers, often before the foliage. H x S: 12m x 8m

• Buy Wisteria sinensis ‘Alba’ from Crocus

Wisteria frutescens 'Longwood Purple' – deciduous and less vigorous than Chinese and Japanese wisteria, with shorter racemes of unscented flowers. H x S: 5m x 3m

• Buy Wisteria frutescens ‘Longwood Purple’ from Marshalls

Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls' – perfect for containers, unlike most Wisteria frutescens it's flowers are richly scented. H x S: 5m x 3m

• Buy Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’ from Crocus

Frequently asked questions

Can I grow wisteria on a fence?

Wisteria is fast-growing and can become heavy, so is not really suited to growing up fences. It's much better suited to growing up walls, such as house walls, and can also be trained up sturdy structures such as a pergola. If you're determined to train a wisteria against a fence, it's a good idea to reinforce the fence first, using sister posts to add strength, and fix a strong trellis or wire support system that the wisteria can be tied to. Ensure the fence is in good condition and consider painting it with a wood preserve to further lengthen its life, before planting your wisteria.

How do I build a wire trellis to support wisteria?

Fix galvanised wires to your wall using 7.5cm zinc-plated vine eyes so they hold the wires out from the wall which will ensure ventilation for the climbing vines. Use turnbuckles to adjust the tension of the wires – these are especially useful if you are using a ladder to fix the support frame, as they make it easy to reduce slack. Work out where you want your main trunk to grow and then position your wires, spacing the vine-eyes 30cm apart. You can add to the support frame as the wisteria grows.