Throughout each season, keep an eagle eye out for lateral shoots and prune them to maintain the single-stem tree effect. When the wisteria reaches the desired height (typically 4-5 feet) pinch out the growing tip in order to promote branching at the top forming a small tree.
Once the tip is pruned out, lateral branches will form a head or crown, dripping with lavender flower trusses. Over the years, the Wisteria will mature, developing a 4 - 6 inch trunk. The advantage of using Lavender Falls Wisteria is its continual bloom throughout the season.Underplant with Homestead Purple Verbena to echo the color and to form a protective planting ring to protect the trunk from lawnmower blight.
(Image credits: Drawing after online.ohioline.OSU.edu, Lavender Falls Wisteria photo from Garden Debut.)
I have just planted a wisteria vine (about 1 1/2 ft tall) and it is loaded with blooms. To train it to a tree , do I still cut all the side limbs off and keep the main stem???
ReplyDeleteYes, leave the top growing leader which will become the trunk.
ReplyDeleteOnly after it is as tall as you want it (alpproximately 4 - 5 feet) can you let it branch out. Is it a Lavender Falls Wisteria? thanks, gardengeri
I JUST BOUGHT A lAVENDER fALLS wISTERIA AND AM DEBATING WHETHER TO LET IT "CLIMB" OR TRAIN IT TO A TREE
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous, if you let it climb, be sure there is a heavy-duty support (not a house with gutters, not a tree). If you train it, be prepared to pinch pinch pinch all spring and summer. Best, gardengeri
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to "train" my Wisteria to climb a patio arbor. We tied most of the tendrils up the beams, but now what was a healthy plant, now looks like it dyeing. We used garden tape and tried not to tie it to tight. What did we do wrong, how can we fix it and what else can we do to get it to climb?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous, I'm not sure what to tell you, b/c wisteria including Lavender Falls(R) Wisteria naturally climbs by twining. I have never heard of "training" a Wisteria, in fact wisteria is known to twine so vigorously that it can envelope an arbor or gazebo. Give your plant uniform water, some compost and let it grow a little and I'll bet it will come back and surprise you!
ReplyDeleteDo you think the wood on the arbor was treated with something that repels the Wisteria?
ReplyDeletehi there i have a lavender falls wisteria on my yard and this time of the month flowers bloomed but not that long ones just like when i bought, my question is do i have to remove the leaves to produce longer flowers?, thanks hope to hear from you,,,
ReplyDeleteHi! Do not remove the leaves from your wisteria. Expect the second and following flushes of flowers to be shorter than the first exceptionally long ones of the spring.
ReplyDeleteThe leaves are essential to photosynthesize and to provide your Lavender Falls Wisteria with energy to flower and bloom throughout the year.
Best wishes, gardengeri
I recently bought a LF Wisteria. I have not removed it from the pot yet (it's been about 1.5 weeks since purchase) -- We've had lots of rain, but I think it may have tried once, because the smaller leaves kinda ruffled up and small blooms shriveled and died. I noticed that one whole branch is turning yellow and dropping leaves like mad. I suppose that could be too *much* water? Or not enough sun? Or maybe it was just man-handled a little too much when I brought it home? Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI have a beatiful wisteria with pink blooms, which is about three years old. I originally intended to have it wind itself through the railings on my deck, but soon realized that its weight could eventually pull the railings off the deck. So I began to constantly trim any growth towards the railings and encouraged the vine to cascade away from the deck. It has gotten so heavy and lopsided that I've had it staked twice and both times the wind knocked it over and pulled out the stakes. Since the trunk is apparently flexible, the vine still appears healthy but is lying in sort of a heap. If I leave it this way and just prune around the outer edges, will the wisteria "mound"? Can I leave it that way? Alternatively, I was wondering if there is such a think as a tree support that the trunk can be raised up a bit and lay in. I picture a straight heavy metal spike with maybe a U-shaped top that the heavy and leaning over trunk can sort of lay in. Is there such a thing?
ReplyDeleteHow would the wisteria falls grow on the top of a pergola? I am new to gardening and think that this beautiful vine would be stunning atop the pergola and provide shade as well as beauty. No idea how to plant etc. Any help is so appreciated!
ReplyDeleteHi New Gardener, Lavender Falls Wisteria is hardy in zones 5-9. It would look great on your pergola, especially in a sunny exposure, however it is a very vigorous vine and will need to be pruned and trained. Prepare a 2' or 3' wide planting hole the depth of the pot (wide but not deep). Remove the pot and keep the surface of the rootball even with the surface of the native soil. Water regularly for a month and your wisteria should thrive.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous June 28, you could probably use a heavy iron pipe to prop up your wisteria. Alternatively you could cut your wisteria trunk off at the base and train the new shoots that will inevitably sprout in the way that you wish them to grow.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous June 21, I'm not sure what your wisteria tried once ? Hopefully when planted in the ground everything has straightened out by now.
ReplyDeleteCan I plant my wisteria next to a fence & let it twine around that being the same concept as an arbor?
ReplyDeleteHow will wisteria do on a metal pergola? Can it still grip and twine?
ReplyDeleteDear Marietta, Yes the wisteria will twine around the metal pergola. In later years the wisteria will become much thicker than the metal and will have the strength to twist it, so caution is advised. Hope you are growing the re-blooming Lavender Falls Wisteria. Thanks, gardengeri
ReplyDeleteWe have had a lavender falls for 3 years now and while it is growing well on our pergola, it has yet to flower. What would help produce flowers?
ReplyDelete