Wisteria sinensis Amethyst

About Wisteria sinensis Amethyst:

Wisteria sinensis Amethyst is a wonderful twining climbing plant producing red-tinged violet/blue flowers in May before the leaves appear. It has a strong sweet perfume. Its growth is very vigorous and so it needs a sturdy support and it is not self-clinging.

It is fully hardy but will need a fertile, moist but well-drained soil and prefers sun or dappled shade. It will need pruning twice a year to encourage flowers, two months after the flowers have finished and, again, in mid winter. The new growth can be tinged bronze, gradually fading as the leaves age. An exceptional plant.

Great for your garden:

Introduced from New Zealand, Wisteria sinensis Amethyst is the perfect plant to grow anywhere that the delicious perfume can be appreciated, in sun or partial shade.

It will need sturdy support and so a pergola, pillar or wall with vine eyes and wires, spaced at 12" distances, will work well. It will also grow over established trees as long as it is kept in check.

It can also be trained as a specimen, on a frame in a large pot or planter, perfect for an entrance or in a sitting area. It is fully hardy and requires fertile, moist free-draining soil.

Wisteria sinensis Amethyst characteristics.

Large deciduous healthy climber

Beautiful violet blue flowers with a red flush in May

Will grow to an eventual height and width of 28' x 15'

Lovely delicate sweet perfume

Fully hardy

Needs support

Sun or dappled shade

RHS Award of Garden Merit

Look out for:

Wisteria sinensis Amethyst is generally disease free although it can be prone, on occasions, to leaf spot and powdery mildew. Watch for yellowing leaves and honeydew (sticky coating on leaves). If these are seen mealybugs may have infested the plant. Treat with a proprietary control.

All parts of the plant are poisonous and will cause severe stomach problems if ingested. It needs pruning twice a year. Two months after flowering the long shoots should be cut back to 5 or 6 buds from the stem and then, in mid-winter, it should be cut back again to 2 or 3 buds from the stem.

Trivia:

To differentiate between Chinese Wisterias and the Japanese varieties it has been noted that the Chinese twine in an anticlockwise direction while the Japanese twine clockwise.