Wisteria -does the colour matter, is purple easier to grow than white?

Comments (14)

Sarah L
3 years ago
Hope this helps
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/popular/wisteria/growing-guide
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Juliet Docherty
3 years ago
I've planted a wisteria at the front of my house, they grow really well around here. However, I was a bit surprised recently when a gardener told me he doesn't tend to use them as they are very short lived. The foliage is quite a brownish colour which I actually like, but he was pointing out that there are other climbers that give more impact for longer. I think they work really well on render but on some types of brick they can disappear a bit. White would look beautiful on red brick, purple on yellow brick or pale walls.
User thanked Juliet Docherty
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Sonia
3 years ago
That’s interesting colourhappy as we had a wisteria growing up a structure for many years, and then it started to droop and die. I wondered if a virus had attacked it, but I couldn’t see any damaged roots. Very sad as it was beautiful. It was a very pale lilac colour.
User
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Thats so true @Juliet Docherty, and kind of where I was at, I love the purple against the yellow cotswold stone type houses. We are more of a cottage blend red brick (apparently) and so I was thinking that the white would work better. It would also compliment the garage which will be a grey/green.
Juliet Docherty
3 years ago
It sounds like both would work well. Grey green looks fabulous with purple Wisteria, but as mentioned the blooms are short lived so the foliage may be the more important thing to look at. Actually, I didn't make myself clear, the gardener meant the foliage is short lived, but as you mention they do sometimes die off. I have found that red brick is very dominant and so delicate colours like lavender just get lost. Robust glossy deep greens and white seem to come alive on red brick.
User
Original Author
3 years ago
Ah this is interesting @Juliet Docherty and yes you're right, have just googled the purple against grey/ green. We have two purple wisteria in the garden and they're against a red brick/ sandstone/ wood combination of a backdrop, and they work. I happy with the foliage timescale that those have shown - I researched other climbers but I'd like to plant wisteria. There doesn't seem to be any recommendations against the white either so I think it's just down to which variety now.
PRO
Garden Design Guru
3 years ago
No.

The key thing is that you know that Wisteria sinensis is quite different from Wisteria floribunda. W.floribunda is the one which has various colours available. It has larger, more impressive flowers as the name suggests.
User
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks @Garden Design Guru, that's insightful - I think a white W.floribunda is the way to go then.
PRO
AGI Landscapes
3 years ago
Both forms of Wisteria, floribunda and sinensis have a vast range of colours available and both will produce racemes of up to 30cm in length. However floribunda can produce racemes of up to 100cm in length and does need a very large wall to show off its blooms.

Wisteria sinensis produces its racemes before the leaves develop so shows off its display better and is also better suited to a house wall. Buy a named variety and not one just grown from seed as these can take over 5 years before they produce flowers. Varieties like 'Prolific' and 'Alba' would cover your two colour choices, but the sinensis 'Alba' has quite short racemes, if you want really long white racemes then I would go with the floribunda 'Alba' but this is a very vigorous climber and if you want to keep it in check you will need to prune it more than the twice a year recommended but the books.

This is the Wisteria floribunda 'Alba' in my own garden, as you can see the flowers are out at the same time as the leaves. It has taken me 15 years to train a small plant in a 5ltr pot into this standard.

And this is the same variety I trained around my pond.

This one is a sinensis over a pergola near my Betula utilis jaquemontii also in my rear garden.

As you can see I like my many wisterias in my garden.

Hope this helps.
User
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you so much @AGI Landscapes and can I just say what a stunning garden and wisteria you have! If I do buy a wisteria for the front of the house, it will definitely be the w.floribunda alba, however, the situation (may) have changed... Our local council are about to start digging up our rear garden border to reinforce the retaining wall (which basically holds the footpath/ road up on the other side of it). It looks like we are going to loose our existing established two wisteria that have been happily living there for years and so I'm wondering if these could be replanted to the front of the house, saving the trees and erasing the need to purchase more. The two existing trees are in the photo. I'm really not sure what type of wisteria they are but they are purple and beautiful when they flower.
PRO
AGI Landscapes
3 years ago
As I always say to clients, They have got two chances. If they are going to be dug up anyway, try to remove as much of the root ball as possible, now is the best time to do it as the plant is dormant. Give the top a hard pruning by remove all the thin whippy pieces back to two or three buds. Retain the stems that are two years and older. When replanting put in some fish, blood and bone and plenty of good compost. This will give them a good fighting chance.

Good luck.
User
Original Author
3 years ago
This is super helpful - thank you so much @AGI Landscapes I'm guessing it will be best to get a professional on the job to give them the best chance of a good start! I have no idea when it comes to this sort of thing. Thank you @AGI Landscapes !
PRO
Garden Design Guru
3 years ago
Loving the Wisteria over the water @AGI Landscapes

Have you tried the cultivar 'Black Dragon'?
PRO
AGI Landscapes
3 years ago
I first saw 'Black Dragon' in Brookland botanical gardens New York about 10 years ago, have bought 2 since then and neither turned out to be 'Black Dragon'. I now have one in a pot growing and am waiting patiently for it to flower to see if this one is the one! Had it three years already and no sign of flowers yet, maybe this year. Would have loved to get a grafted one but you can't tell what it is when mail order.

If you ever go to New York visit Brooklands, New York botanical gardens, High Line and the Scholar's garden at Snug Harbour Statern Island that is amazing.

United Kingdom

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Wisteria -does the colour matter, is purple easier to grow than white?

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