Description

American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) is a deciduous climbing vine that grows naturally in moist thickets, swampy woods, and on pond and stream borders. Its lilac-purple, two-lipped flowers bloom in densely clustered racemes that reach 6-9 inches long. These aromatic blooms attract butterflies and other native pollinators, and it is a larval host to the Long-Tailed Skipper (shown above). American Wisteria is considered shade tolerant, but it will only bloom in partial or full sun, with best flowering in full-sun. It usually produces flowers two to three years after planting. Blooms will appear on new growth, so regular pruning encourages flowering while keeping the size and shape of the vine in check. American Wisteria is a less aggressive spreader than the Chinese Wisteria, and it can be trained to grow on arbors, trellises, fences, or columns.