Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria Floribunda) Care Sheet
JAPANESE ZELKOVA
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Tips and Tricks for Caring for Your Japanese Wisteria Tree |
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The Japanese Wisteria is a strong, fast growing deciduous tree. In the spring, they produce long drooping bunches of bluish-purple flowers that smell wonderful. When the seed pods of the Wisteria are ripe, they explode and can shoot over ten feet from the parent plant. |
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PLACEMENT
Japanese Wisteria thrive in full sun. They require plenty of sunlight for flowering, but also need shade from the midday sun. Protect your Wisteria from strong winds and frost. Wisterias planted in the ground are frost-hardy, but in containers, will need root protection from the frost. Japanese Wisteria do best in zones 4 to 9. TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY Wisterias prefer the sunlight and enjoy the warmth of full sun. However, they are sensitive to intense heat. Wisterias are cold-tolerant and can survive in below-freezing conditions. WATERING Because of their love for sunlight, Wisterias require a lot of water, especially during growing season. Make sure to check the water and moisture levels daily. It is recommended that you sit your tree in a pot of water; this allows it to take in all the water that it needs via its roots. SOIL/FERTILIZER We recommend our Deciduous Bonsai Soil Mix for your Japanese Wisteria. These trees grow strongly, quickly, and like to be fed well. Fertilize with a solid organic fertilizer once a month, or a liquid fertilizer weekly, during growing season. Use a fertilizer that’s not too high in nitrogen. Wisterias fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. Too much nitrogen promotes heavy foliar growth, which can affect flowers. REPOTTING Very young trees need repotted every year. During repotting, tease out and prune the roots. Younger trees can be repotted every two years, with older trees only needing to be repotted every three to five. Wisterias tolerate root pruning very well. Make sure to repot in the spring before buds open. PROPAGATION Wisterias can be propagated through seeds, air layering, grafts, and softwood cuttings. *Seedlings will not flower before they are 10-15 years old. PRUNING Hard pruning is best done in early spring or after flowering. Prune the branches and twigs after the leaves have fallen. If you want, you can thin out the leaves, but do not totally defoliate. Also, do no cut off the short shoots where flower buds will grow. Do not let too many seed pods develop as they steal energy from the tree. WIRING Because of the fast growing nature of this tree, monitor your wire closely to make sure that it isn’t cutting into the branch. Wisterias are tolerant of wiring. Do not wire until blooming has been completed. These trees are best suited for formal upright, slanting, and cascade style wiring. PESTS/DISEASES The Japanese Wisteria is susceptible to powdery mildew, leaf spots, root rot, and Wisteria borers. The Wisteria borer is a beetle that tunnels into the stems of wisteria, causing an interruption of wisteria, causing an interruption of water and nutrients to the tree. They are hard to control, but can be treated with chemicals and by cutting off vines. |
PRODUCTS |
Deciduous Bonsai Soil Mix KIKU™ Aluminum Training Wire KIKU™ Root Hook Fertilizer Pellets |
