Back in 2011, Dan Miller gave us a wisteria. We knew next to nothing about it. It hasn't bloomed much over the years so we've been happy when it's managed some color. In fact it took about nine years before we had any blooms at all. And though we look at it every day of our lives, we've never known much about it.
But a few days ago (11/25/24) the plant answered one question.: it is the Asian variety.
I was taking Parker on a walk when I happened to see five seed ponds hanging on the plant (all in a small area and on the north side of the plant). They were a little startling: light gray and fuzzy and almost exactly the fur I'd expect on a mouse. That distinction is noted here.
By contrast, the North American variety has smooth seed pods.
I didn't want more plants coming up in my yard so I cut the pods and bagged them. Here's a close-up look:
So the plant has essentially answered the question about the type of wisteria we have.
Says igardendaily.com: "The downside to Chinese wisteria is it seems more than vigorous. In fact, I would be remiss if I didn’t share that much of the literature called it down right invasive. A very sturdy structure must be used to support it along with a commitment to keep it in-bounds. The other negative I came across is that it can be an unreliable bloomer and that plants grown from seed may not bloom for 10-15 years! Grafted plants or plants taken from cuttings will bloom sooner but it still may be 3-4 years after planting." [my italics]
So now we have a plant that will be at least 14 years old next spring. We're hoping one of these years it's covered with blooms. But while we're waiting, at least we know the variety we're dealing with.
No comments:
Post a Comment