Wisteria Black Dragon

Wisteria are a vigorous species of climbing plants famed for their long racemes of frangrant flowers produced in abundance in early spring. Flower colours range from white to deep purple. Young plants only produce a handful of flowers but as they mature their true splendour is revealed. Rainbows selectiions include Black Dragon,a very striking and unusual variety with double rosette shaped violet-purple flowers on a long raceme. Amethyst , with medium length racemes, strongly scented, dark mauve in colour. Snow Showers, with long dainty racemes of pure white flowers, and Blue Sapphire,with mauve or deep lilac blue flowers in racemes 20-30cm long

Wisteria can be very vigorous and require a sturdy support mechanism to climb on.They are best planted in full sun. To encourage more flowers young leafy shoots should be cut back in late summer. The vine can be thinned or cut back hard in winter to keep them within bounds.

Wisteria are great subjects for walls and pergolas or even up and amongst old trees. They can be trained into topiary standards with careful pruning.

The two main varieties of Wisteria curiously twine in opposite directions. Japanes Wisteria (W. floribunda) twines clockwise while Chinese Wisteria (W. sinensis) climbs in an anti-clockwise direction. The largest known Wisteria is in Sierra Madre, California. Planted well over 100 years ago it now covers over 1 acre. In the 1930s the house it was planted against collapsed from it's weight. It is listed as one of the seven horticultural wonders of the world.

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