Will a Wisteria Vine Tear Down My Privacy Fence?

Sheer Size

• The sheer size of wisteria vines makes them stand out. A mature vine can have a main stem as thick as the trunk of a small tree, according to "Sunset." Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) can grow to a maximum average height or width of 50 feet, and Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) reaches an average height or with of around 35 feet. Make sure your fence is large enough to support such growth. Wisteria vines also grow quickly -- up to 10 feet in one year. Because it grows tall as well as wide, your wisteria vine might also grow up and over the fence. Although some neighbors may love that, others might not.

Serious Support

• Wisterias need serious support. They can be grown along a fence or over an arbor, but the pressure-treated wood posts need to be 4 inches in diameter at the minimum. If your privacy fence has good, thick posts anchored to the ground in cement, and the horizontal supports are just as sturdy, it will probably support your wisteria. If your privacy fence is old and wobbly, however, or if it is small, the weight of the wisteria might tear it down as it grows.

Fabulous Flowers

• It sometimes takes a long time for a wisteria to bloom -- up to 6 years in some cases, according to the "Old Farmer's Almanac." In the meantime, you will have a deciduous vine that drops its leaves in the fall, leaving a tangled, woody plant growing along your fence. Although some home gardeners like the look of the bare branches, others do not. To encourage the plant to produce the stunning blooms it is famous for, give it plenty of full sunlight and rich, moist soil -- the deeper, the better. The plants do not like dry, poor soil although mature plants will adapt to such conditions.

Climate Considerations

• Wisteria vines in general thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. The Chinese wisteria grows best in USDA zones 6, 7 and 8, and the Japanese wisteria grows best in USDA zones 5 through 9. Many cultivars exist with flower colors that range from white to pale pink and dark purple, and most of them are fragrant. The flowers do attract bees, so keep this in mind when choosing the location of your vine. A quick growing plant, wisteria is considered invasive in some parts of the country. All parts of the vine are poisonous.