Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Wisteria Tree Care

Any drastic pruning is best carried out in the spring, immediately after flowering. Plants are very tolerant of even the most drastic pruning and will re-grow even if cut right back to the base.

Pruning the vine down to a desirable length should not be a problem!

Wisteria can be a climbing plant, twining in an anti-clockwise direction, around the stems of other plants. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Wisteria trees prefer a good loamy soil in a sunny south or southwest facing position, sheltered from cold winds and from early morning sun on frosty mornings. Plants can become chlorotic on alkaline soils. A soil that is too rich results in excessive foliage at the expense of flowering. Plants can take a few years to settle down after planting out. Too much shade or too rich a soil are normally the culprits, and some form of root restriction can be beneficial.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

ok - so i must be a yardiac, i just read your definition - when i am supposed to be blogging i spot a weed and i'm gone.

what i really wondered was what to do with those long twining tendrils after flowering.

nice blog.

Anonymous said...

Hello Yardiac posters,
I planted two wisteria plants a few years ago on both sides of my purgola. The vines have grown well, but I have yet to see a flower. Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to get this plant to bloom? Thanks, David in NH.

Dutchess County Tree Removal said...

Good tree maintenance advice. Pruning a wisteria tree's vines down would put it in better contact with the soil which it prefers.