The Care & Propagation of a Wisteria Bonsai

Description

• The wisteria plant comes in many species, most notably the Japanese wisteria and Chinese wisteria, scientifically termed Wisteria floribunda and Wisteria chinensis, respectively. Wisteria shows a mix of white, pink, purple, red and blue flowers during the late spring and early summer and their leaves look like the pods of common green beans. Known for steady growth, the vines can grow to over 10 feet in just one year. As the plant ages, the vines widen and become wood-like, often requiring both support and consistent pruning to keep them in line.

Planting

• Plant your wisteria 10 to 15 feet apart in holes as deep as the roots, but about twice or three times as wide, during the spring or fall. A strong plant, wisteria does well both in partial shade and full sun conditions, but if the temperature is likely to drop below freezing, the roots need to be protected from freezing. The greatest danger to wisteria comes from wind since they become rather top-heavy as they grow. Finally, provide a consistent supply of water particularly during the warm summer days. Don’t let the soil become waterlogged, though, as that leads to root rot.

Care

• While generally self-sufficient, wisteria does require specific care if you wish it to bloom to its fullest. First, wisteria must grow for 10 years or so before they flower. After this, layer compost and mulch under the plant in the spring to promote growth and reduce weeds. Prune your vines each summer after the flowering season. Remove all shoots from the plant base and cut side shoots down to six inches or so. Prune those same side shoots down to four or fewer buds during the fall. Finally, in winter, do a “hard prune,” removing all shoots that allow growth outside of the central leafy and flowering mass.

Training

• Cascading flowering vines, wisteria are trainable in several styles. Use supports and ties both to direct the vines and to stabilize them. The best shapes for bonsai include cascade, slanting and informal upright, all of which allow the flowers to flow downwards in their natural growth pattern. Potted wisteria must be repotted periodically, usually every two or three years in the spring, in order to help promote growth and flowering, so be sure to plan your training around this.

Propogation

• Both basal cutting and layering result in successful wisteria propagation when done at the correct time of year. In the early summer, focus your cutting on side shoots, while in the fall make your cuttings from the ground layer. To layer, cut from the softwoods in the spring or summer and from the hardwoods in winter. Finally, you can grow wisteria by seeding, but as wisteria have a long un-flowering stage, avoid this unless you plan to wait for your results.

Issues

• Since the whole point of wisteria is the beautiful flowers, it follows that the most common issue is poor flowering. This results from its age (juvenile plants don’t flower), poor pruning techniques, improper amounts of water and exposure to spring frost. Also, check over your plants for shredded leaves, aphids, teeth-marks on the vines from small animal, bird or insect damage. Common insecticides will help, and discuss animal or growth problems with your local nursery for specific regional solutions.