The wisteria vine drapes its fragrant, lilac-colored blossoms across trees and structures in mid to late spring depending on the species. Typically, blooms will grace the vine for three weeks up to two months and only appear once a year. However, special wisteria cultivars are known to bloom two to three times in a season.
Once your wisteria has been established, it will likely only bloom once a year. However, some cultivars of Kentucky and American wisteria offer two to three blooming periods in a growing season.
Wisteria is a stunning flowering vine that produces cascades of purple blue, pink, white or blue flowers in spring and summer. With its graceful drooping blooms, wisteria is prized by gardeners for its beauty. However, many wonder – how often does wisteria bloom each year?
The blooming frequency of wisteria depends on several factors
Wisteria Species
There are two main species of wisteria commonly grown – Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) and Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda). The Japanese wisteria blooms a little later in spring than the Chinese wisteria, but its flowers last longer. American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) also blooms later than the Asian varieties, in late spring or early summer.
Plant Maturity
Like many woody plants it takes wisteria several years to reach maturity and begin flowering. On average, wisteria will take
- 3-5 years to bloom if grown from a grafted plant
- 5-7 years to bloom if grown from a cutting
- 10-15 years to bloom if grown from seed
So a younger wisteria may only bloom once per year, while a mature plant can produce multiple blooms.
Climate and Location
The climate where the wisteria is growing affects its blooming. In warmer climates, wisteria will start blooming earlier and may rebloom in summer or fall. In colder areas, it may only bloom once in late spring.
The amount of sunlight the plant receives also impacts flowering. Wisteria needs full sun (at least 6 hours per day) to bloom well. Too much shade will reduce flowers.
Pruning
Proper pruning is vital for healthy wisteria blooms. Wisteria should be pruned twice a year – in winter while dormant and again in summer after blooming. This helps control rampant growth and encourages more blooms.
Care and Cultivation
Like any plant, the better care it receives, the more readily it will flower. Be sure to provide wisteria with:
- Well-draining, fertile soil
- Consistent moisture, but not waterlogged soil
- Full sunlight
- Occasional feeding with a phosphate fertilizer
- Protection from late frosts where needed
With excellent care, wisteria can be coaxed to bloom more frequently.
How Long Do Wisteria Blooms Last?
Once wisteria begins blooming in spring, the flowers generally last 4-6 weeks. Some reblooming may occur in summer and fall on mature plants, extending the flowering display. But the majority of flowers will be produced for a few weeks in spring.
Each flower cluster (raceme) only lasts about 1-2 weeks before fading. But new racemes open as existing ones fade, creating an overlap. This prolongs the overall blooming period.
Blooming Frequency
Taking all these factors into account, on average most wisteria will bloom in spring, with a maturity period of:
- Young wisteria (less than 5 years old) – Will not bloom
- Mature wisteria (5-15 years old) – Will bloom once in spring
- Very mature wisteria (over 15 years old) – Will bloom once in spring, with possible repeat blooms in summer/fall
The exact blooming time varies based on climate, care and pruning, but in general wisteria will bloom at least once per year in spring after reaching maturity. With extra care, mature plants can be encouraged to rebloom additional times.
When Does Wisteria Bloom?
If youve noticed bursts of purple wisteria blossoms showing up across your local trees, then its a sure sign that spring is in full effect. Identifying the exact month that you can expect to see wisteria blooms will depend on the species of wisteria.
American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) blooms as early as the beginning of June and on through August. If you happen to have the Amethyst Falls cultivar, then you may be blessed with a second blooming. More Like This
Kentucky wisteria (Wisteria macrostachya) shows its purple clusters a bit later in the early summer around the end of June, and the Blue Moon cultivar will bloom up to three times.
The fragrant Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) and twining Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) bloom before their American cousins, starting in April. These species grow their flower buds before the foliage.
Why Won’t My Wisteria Bloom?
Growing wisteria from seed could take you 15 years to see a bloom. If you have a cutting, dont expect your wisteria to bloom the season after youve planted it. Wisteria takes its sweet time to reward gardeners with blooms, typically two to three years after planting.
However, if your plant is well established and refuses to bloom, make sure that the wisteria is receiving its ideal living conditions. This includes spacing wisteria plants at least 10 feet apart and in a location that receives full sun. Wisteria prefers well-draining soil and weekly watering. American wisteria does well in zones 5 to 9, while Kentucky wisteria thrives in Zones 4 to 9.
How long does it take for a wisteria to bloom?
FAQ
How do you keep wisteria blooming all summer?
Another factor in having a successfully blooming wisteria is available sunlight–it needs plenty of it. Pruning in early summer and again in late winter can encourage blooming. You also probably want to keep your wisteria pruned, especially if it is one of the non-natives, because they tend to “devour” fences.
How often do wisterias flower?
Growing Wisteria Key Points. A very vigorous, deciduous, climbing plant. Highly scented showy blooms in April, May & June.
How many years does it take for wisteria to bloom?
Wisterias are slow to mature and may not begin flowering until three to five years after planting. Wisterias are rapid growers and can shoot up 10 feet or more in a single growing season. That’s great if you want to quickly cover a fence or pergola, but you don’t want the vines to overrun your garden.
Does wisteria bloom more than once?
Our wonderful American wisteria, “Amethyst Falls”, is covered with a second flush of blossoms. The vine put on a fragrant and showy display for several weeks beginning at the end of May and finishing by the middle of last month.
How long does a wisteria take to bloom?
Wisteria generally takes several years before they start blooming. Based on the method by which you propagated it, your Wisteria could flower in 3 to 5 years, however, in certain instances, it could take as long as seven years. If you sowed the seed from a plant. It could take anywhere from 15 to 25 years to flower when it does bloom even.
How long does a wisteria flower last?
After planting for three to five years, most wisteria bloom in Spring and Winter for a few weeks. Usually, the wisteria bloom lasts for 2 to 3 weeks. The whole blooming time depends on the right weather and air humidity.
When does Chinese wisteria Bloom?
It typically blooms in late spring or early summer. Similar to Japanese wisteria, Chinese wisteria has long, fragrant flower clusters. However, it tends to bloom slightly earlier in spring. This native North American species blooms later in summer, often in July or August. It has shorter flower clusters and is known for its hardiness.
How big does a wisteria flower get?
Wisteria is a tree that blooms and produces stunning flowers that contain shades of purple, blue pink, white, or blue. It creates a gorgeous and fascinating scene to look at. The flower can range from 12-14 inches tall and blossoms in a cluster on a vine. How long will wisteria bloom?
Is Wisteria a flowering vine?
Wisteria is one of the most stunning flowering vines you can grow. When it erupts into bloom in springtime, cascading flowers in shades of purple, pink, blue, or white create a spectacular floral display. However, many gardeners get frustrated when their wisteria refuses to bloom or only blooms sparsely.
Does Wisteria bloom every season?
One of the most frustrating aspects of owning Wisteria is the fact that, despite your best efforts, your Wisteria may not bloom every season. Even though these vines are low maintenance and are known for their ability to grow nearly anywhere, it’s a different story when it comes to getting them to produce their showstopping blooms.