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Wisteria sinensis

Common Name: Chinese wisteria

Family: Fabaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a-10a

Growth Habit: Woody vine

Origin: NA

FISC Category: 2

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: 1800s

IFAS Assessment:

  • North: INVASIVE
  • Central: INVASIVE
  • South: INVASIVE
Lavender to purple flowers arranged in a raceme
Brenda Herring
Chinese wisteria fuzzy fruits/legumes
Brenda Herring

Description

Woody vine that is only limited in growth by the height of the plant that it climbs. Can grow up to 19 meters in length and have a diameter up to 38 cm. Stems are dark brown and twine around its host counter-clockwise. Leaves are pinnately compound, 10 to 40 cm long and are comprised of 23-29 oval shaped leaflets. Flowers are lavender colored and are arranged on 10 to 50 cm long hanging racemes. Flowers open from the base of the stem first, progressing up the stem. Fruits are pods with velvet-like texture and are 10-15 cm long. Seeds are poisonous.

Habitat

Ruderal, old home sites, trash piles

Comments

Most infestations occur near homesites or trash piles where plants have escaped into the surrounding areas.

Map of species distribution

Control Methods

  • Manual: Mechanical: small infestations can be cut close to the ground and away from host plants to stop girdling. Careful hand pulling of small plants is effective.
  • Chemical: Cut stump treatments using a 25% solution of glyphosate or triclopyr on freshly cut stems is effective. For larger infestations, foliar applications are needed with 2% glyphosate or triclopyr water solution mixed with a 0.5% nonionic surfactant.
  • Biological: No known biological control

Control Notes

Important to note that when applying herbicides, vines should be pulled down from the host and not severed so that the herbicide can move throughout the plant. Best treatment time is during the active growing season in spring and summer.

References

IFAS, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. 2017. Wisteria sinensis. http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/wisteria-sinensis/ Accessed September 19, 2017.

IFAS, UF. 2017. Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas. Wisteria sinensis. https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/wisteria-sinensis/ Accessed September 19, 2017.

Dave's Garden. 2017. PlantFiles. Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis). .http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/67511/Accessed September 19, 2017.

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