Have you ever been to Japanese Wisteria Gardens? Alleys of tall, dense trees, from which long brushes of inflorescences descend from waterfalls ... Sensation - as if caught in flower rain!
In fact, these are powerful lianas belonging to the legume family. Their shoots resemble twine. In height, the trunk of the plant can reach from 8 to 10 meters. The leaves of Wisteria are plentifully flowering, large, stiff, up to 40 centimeters in length, and each of them consists of smaller leaves. Inflorescences, which can be up to 50 cm, include a large number of flowers. They bloom gradually, starting from the base of the brush.
As they grow, young shoots circle in a clockwise direction, gradually twist until they find support. Fruits can persist throughout the winter. If we compare with the Chinese variety, then wisteria profusely flowering will win in several ways. It is more resistant to low temperatures, is more decorative. That is why it is used in landscaping. Varieties are bred with white, pale pink, pink flowers of a bluish or purple hue. There are interesting varieties with tassels up to 1.5 m, with double flowers of violet color, with variegated leaves.
The wisteria plant is bred mainly in regions where the climate is warm: in the Crimea, in the Caucasus. And there this colorful liana decorates parks and propagates by self-seeding. You can breed it in a cooler climate. To do this, take care of the safety of seeds. They must be kept in paper bags, in a dry room and without heating. Even after 6 years, they can remain viable. When planted in the ground, up to 80 percent of the seeds germinate.
A wisteria plant is planted abundantly in the fall or spring. Seeds are sown in prepared ridges, in which deciduous compost has been applied, are planted in the soil to a depth of two to three centimeters. Also, the plant propagates by cuttings and layering. It loves the soil neutral, fertile. Liana reaches for the sun and prefers to have a lot of light in the area chosen for her. Nevertheless, wisteria is abundantly blooming - a heat-loving plant, it can be planted in the vastness of Russia not everywhere, but only in the southern regions. Despite theoretical frost resistance, it is sensitive to cold. Therefore, gardeners should not believe in advertising and buy seedlings in the markets. After all, they may not take root, they will not have enough heat for a successful vegetation, and even shelter for the winter will not save from freezing.
Despite the fact that the plant is a vine, wisteria at home can develop quite well. This requires special care. In summer, you need to keep the plant in the open air, carry out regular spraying. In winter, store it in the basement. Water moderately while maintaining soil moisture. When buds appear, it must be fed with liquid fertilizers for flowering plants. It is necessary to plant in the soil, consisting of a mixture of sheet, clay-soddy earth, sand and humus. In July, the liana needs pruning of the lateral branches.