The wisteria impresses as a superlative climbing shrub with furious flowers and exuberant growth. You can keep uncontrolled growth under control with consistent pruning care. This tutorial will familiarize you with all types of wisteria pruning: from skillful training to perfect preservation to successful rejuvenation. This is how you cut wisteria correctly on trellises and as a standard tree.
When should you cut the wisteria?
Cut the wisteria in February or late summer. August or September are recommended for summer cutting. Wisteria is an extremely cut-tolerant plant. It grows very quickly and takes up space, so it should be cut regularly.
Green light for many types of cuts
A pronouncedpruning tolerance makes it possible to control the rapid and expansive growth of a wisteria. Even at a young age, the Asian growth rocket gives its gardener the green light for a strategic approach to parenting. You can keep adult wisteria under control with a double pack of maintenance cuts. The wisteria is even a match for radical rejuvenation pruning. This level of pruning tolerance encourages creative gardeners to cultivate a spectacular standard tree. The following table summarizes all types of cuts with recommended appointments:
| Cut style | Goal/Occasion | Appointment option I | Appointment option II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educational cutting trellis | strategic structure on pergola and trellis | February | Late summer (August/September) |
| Summer cut | Throttle growth, create order in the network of branches | two months after the end of the flowering period | none |
| Winter cut | Maintaining vitality and young flowering wood, thinning out dead wood | End of January to end of February | none |
| Rejuvenation cut | revitalize neglected, senescent wisteria | Late winter to early March | none |
| Education Hochstamm | Training wisteria into a tree | End of January to end of February | Late summer (August/September) |
Please only decide to plant a wisteria in your garden if you have enough time to prune it twice a year. Wisteria grows vigorously, up to 2 meters per year. The climbing artist can easily crush rain pipes, bend balcony railings and tear climbing aids out of their anchorage. Regular, strategically clever cutting slows down growth, reduces weight and directs the powerful tendrils into a harmonious, balanced design.
Parenting cut – tailored to pergola and trellis
After planting, it takes a few years for the wisteria to bloom for the first time. Wisteria grown from seeds sometimes takes eight years until the flower premiere. If you don't want to be patient for that long, plant grafted varieties or varieties grown from cuttings. The young bushes bloom earlier and more luxuriantly. On the way to the first flowering period, pruning care is dedicated totailor-made trainingThe aim is to build abasic framework that lasts a lifetime and supports the short flowering wood. Regardless of the growth habit chosen, building a scaffold takes three to five years.
The cutting method depends on whether you are growing the wisteria on a pergola or on a trellis as a facade greenery. Direct growth in the right direction from the start. This can be achieved with a few, clearly defined scaffolding shoots, which you gradually extend over the first three to five years. A wisteria always lays the flower buds for the next year in the summer of the previous year on the new shoots that sprout from the perennial scaffold shoots. If you let the climbing plantwithout training, within a few years you will be dealing with animpenetrable tangle of intertwined shoots. The expert training on pergola and trellis is explained in more detail below:
Education on pergola and rose arch
- Select the two strongest shoots as future scaffolding shoots
- Tie to the trellis with plant ties
- Extend each scaffold shoot by a maximum of 100 centimeters in February
- Release the shoot extensions after cutting and reconnect them
Extend the main shoot by around 1 meter per year. To do this, prune last year's growth in February to the desired length. Make targeted cuts at a short distance from a bud. In this way, you cause a sap to accumulate below the cut point, which encourages your wisteria to form side branches. Following training, the pruning care culminates in two prunings on the side branches, as explained in more detail in this tutorial.
Education on the wall trellis
- Attach the wall trellis at least 15 centimeters away from the facade
- Determine the strongest drive as the leading drive
- Short the leading shoot to a height of 70 to 90 centimeters
- Place scissors just above a strong eye
- Remove all side shoots
- Fix the shortened leading shoot to the wall trellis
In the first summer of the training phase, leave two side shoots that you attach to the wall trellis at an angle of 45 degrees. Cut off all remaining side shoots. Prune the leading shoot itself every winter so that it grows a maximum of 100 centimeters longer per year. Proportional to the height growth, direct the next pair of side branches diagonally upwards in summer. Shorten all branches of the side shoots to 15 centimeters. All remaining shoots along the leading shoot are removed. Follow this strategy until the wisteria has enough pairs of side shoots to fill the wall trellis. It is important to note that you carefully remove all unnecessary side shoots so that a clear structure develops and the plant does not become too heavy for the supporting trellis.
Summer pruning slows growth
Two months after the end of flowering, it is high time to tidy up the shoots of a wisteria and promote the formation of new flower buds. As the illustration below illustrates, the side shoots are in the sights of the pruning shears. How to get the perfect summer cut:
- Cut back side shoots to a length of 30 to 50 centimeters
- Place the scissors a few millimeters above an outward-facing bud
- Unwind the trimmed shoots from the climbing aid and tie them again
- Subsequently, break out any green shoots that sprout from the interface by hand
When pruning in summer, please consider the desired structure of a few leading branches with selected side shoots. Once a leading branch has reached the desired length, trim the tip of the shoot as if it were a side shoot. After pruning, mulch the soil with compost or bark humus.
Growth is reduced and bud formation is encouraged if you prune wisteria in summer. Shorten all of this year's side shoots to 30 to 50 centimeters.
Background
Remove water shoots promptly - tips for the unpopular type of shoots
The most magnificent wisteria are the result of successful refinement. Premium varieties such as 'Blue Dream', 'Pink Ice' or 'Macrobotrys' thrive on a robust wild base. When a rootstock sprouts, strong wild shoots sprout towards the sky, which in technical jargon are called water shoots. Water shoots compete with the noble part for nutrients and water. At the same time, they strive with all their might to overgrow the noble variety. Remove wild shoots consistently and promptly. The unwanted shoots can be identified by a different leaf shape and a place of origin near the ground.
Winter pruning promotes abundance of flowers
Following the summer pruning, the wisteria produces flower buds for the next year. These are located at the base of shortened side shoots and are initially inconspicuous and hardly noticeable. That changes by late winter. From February onwards, young flower buds swell conspicuously and can be clearly distinguished from leaf and shoot buds. The optimal time window for winter pruning is between the end of January and the end of February/beginning of March. As the image below demonstrates, the process makes it easier to make a professional cut. How to do it right:
- First thin out all dead, weak or frozen branches
- Shoots that have already been shortened in summerprune again except for 2 or 3 buds
- Shorten scaffolding shoots with the desired final height to 10 centimeters from last year's growth
- Result: Over the years, thickened heads with valuable flower wood are formed
The thickened heads are the starting point for short shoots. At the base of these short shoots are the longed-for flower buds. At least for 10 to 15 years, the thickenings remain vital and are spared from cutting measures. After this time, these heads become old and are locally rejuvenated with the help of a derivation. Cut off branches that are lazy to bloom where a young short shoot branches off. If a dense, old clump has formed, remove it completely.
Winter pruning requires courageous action. Cut back all of the previous year's side shoots to 10 centimeters. If heads become old after 10 to 15 years, they are removed or diverted to young shoots near the scaffold.
Excursus
Pruning time influences the strength of growth
The choice of date for cutting wisteria influences the intensity of the subsequent growth. The later in the year you cut a wisteria, the more reserve substances have already been released from the rootstock into twigs and branches. This results in reduced sap pressure and the new growth is correspondingly weaker. Conversely, the earlier you cut, the stronger the sprouting will be. If you subject a wisteria to maintenance pruning inFebruary, the wisteria will react with noticeablystronger growththan inlate summerif the pruning care is aimed atgrowth calming
Rejuvenate neglected wisteria
If gardeners allow a wisteriawithout pruning care, an impenetrablethicket with a few flower clusters will emerge within a few years. That is no reason to clear the Asian flower miracle. With a radical rejuvenation cut, you can turn back time on your wisteria and rebuild the climbing plant. This is how the plan works:
- Best time is in late winter during the months of December to February
- Check wisteria for overwintering animals before cutting and cut later if necessary
- Remove all branches except for two suitable scaffold shoots
- Short side shoots along the remaining scaffold shoots to 10 centimeters
- The tips of the scaffold shoots lead to a young side shoot in the lower half
How deeply you cut back the two remaining scaffold shoots depends largely on what type and variety it is. If you rejuvenate a grafted wisteria, the grafting area must not be removed. As a rule, the critical point is around 50 centimeters high from the trunk. If in doubt, please ask the nursery where the plant came from.
Rejuvenate wisteria in winter
A rejuvenation cut in summer is taboo. To protect breeding birds, the Federal Nature Conservation Act fundamentally prohibits radical cuts on trees of all kinds. The centralclosed seasonextends from1. March to September 30th Light maintenance pruning, such as the summer pruning of wisteria, is permitted as an exception because only this year's growth is pruned. The legislature allows radical measures such as rejuvenation and thinning from October 1st to February 28th if it is ruled out in advance that wild animals will overwinter in the woods.
Failed pruning care can be corrected by a radical rejuvenating pruning. Two scaffold shoots remain, the side shoots of which are cut back to 10 centimeters.
Tip
A strong pruning inevitably leaves large cuts on an old wisteria. Wound closure has become obsolete in the modern home garden. According to well-founded research results, plants' own healing methods outperform any wound sealing with tree wax. Smooth out larger cuts with a knife and let your wisteria do the rest.
Education to become a high tribe
A wisteria thrives as a vigorous liana with thick branches that are suitable for tree trunks. Over the years, the lignification progresses so intensively that support is no longer required. Creative home gardeners take advantage of this property of wisteria to train the climbing plant into a spectacular tree. A refined young plant offers the best starting point because it blooms earlier and more luxuriantly than a pure Wisteria species. How to proceed correctly step by step:
- Tie the strongest central shoot as a tree trunk to a support post
- For later braiding, select two or three strong ground shoots and fix them to a support
- Remove all remaining shoots
- Trunk shoots on the support post lead up to the desired height
- Only cut off the tip of the trunk when the tip bud is 4 to 6 buds above the base of the crown
- Cut off side shoots below the crown at the base
An ideal wisteria tree thrives with a strong (optionally braided) trunk and a crown of four to six leading branches. Until a crown branch has reached the required diameter, direct the growth in the desired direction and shape with a strong wire. During the training phase, cut off all side shoots completely to promote growth in thickness. Only when a crown branch can support the weight of short shoots and flower clusters can the wire be removed. The side shoots of the crown branches should be pruned twice a year, as is recommended for climbing plants. The only difference to note is winter pruning. Do not shorten the side shoots that have already been pruned in summer to 2 or 3 buds, but to 1 or 2 buds, or a length of 5 centimeters.
Excursus
Cutting wisteria with bypass or anvil pruners?
A good pair of secateurs is a gardener's faithful companion when cutting wisteria. The store shelves are full of one-handed scissors, which primarily differ in their bypass and anvil mechanism. Bypass shears work with two sharp cutting edges and are ideal for summer pruning of this year's green shoots. The anvil scissors work with a sharp cutting edge that meets a blunt counterpart. This mechanism reduces effort and is perfect for winter pruning of woody or dead branches.
Frequently asked questions
Is wisteria poisonous?
Wisteria contains various ingredients that are toxic to humans and animals. The bark and roots are permeated with toxic Wistarin, which is absorbed through the skin. Wearing long-sleeved clothing and gloves is strongly recommended when doing cutting work. Lectin in pods and seeds can cause severe headaches, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain after consumption. If larger amounts enter the human organism, circulatory collapse and cardiac arrest can occur. Because the pods burst with a loud bang, they magically attract children. Wisteria is therefore not recommended for the family garden.
Are there any differences to consider between Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) and Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda)?
Chinese wisteria conquers trellises as a left-winding climber. Shoots of Wisteria sinensis twist counterclockwise. The seductively scented flower spikes, up to 50 centimeters long, shine from May to June, even before the pretty leaflets emerge. In contrast, Japanese wisteria thrives as a right-winding climbing plant. Wisteria floribunda therefore winds itself clockwise. The wisteria species blooms between April and early June with 30 to 50 centimeter long flower clusters, while the leaves sprout at the same time. However, when it comes to pruning care, the differences are not important.
Can you pull the wisteria up with a braided main stem or will the plant then twist itself out again? Do we need 2 wisteria next to each other to braid?
Raising wisteria with a braided main trunk is easily possible. Since the wisteria winds its way up, we recommend first letting all the shoots grow up individually and then braiding them. Regular pruning care provides a sufficient amount of shoots from the lower area, which you can braid later. You can therefore get by with one wisteria.
Our pergola is not particularly large at 2.50 meters. Can I cut back the wisteria so much every year that it stays small?
This is easily possible by cutting twice a year. Prune the wisteria for the first time two months after flowering by shortening the side shoots to 30 to 50 centimeters. In February, winter pruning is dedicated to the resulting new flower shoots, which you trim down to 2 or 3 buds. At this point you can clearly see the flower buds because they are visibly swollen just before they begin to sprout.
Can I cultivate noble wisteria 'Pink Ice' in a bucket?
In general, keeping wisteria in containers is not a problem as long as important premises are taken into account. To ensure a supply of water and nutrients, the bucket volume should initially be at least 25 liters. The pot size must be adjusted proportionally to growth. The larger you let the wisteria grow, the larger the container volume should be. Ideally, you should repot a noble wisteria in conjunction with the winter pruning.
Is wisteria hardy and thrives in cool locations?
Winter weather with frost and snow usually cannot harm wisteria as long as the location is protected from the wind. As a natural protection against cold and moisture, we recommend underplanting evergreen ground cover plants that shield the shallow root system of a wisteria. However, severe late frost can affect the young shoots and buds. If the meteorologists announce delayed ground frosts in April and May, cover a wisteria with fleece. To strengthen robust winter hardiness, please stop fertilizing in August so that branches and twigs are well matured before the first frost.
What diameter should a trellis made of wood or round steel have to withstand the strangling power of wisteria?
A wisteria doesn't choke as much as it rotates the supports of its climbing aid due to its looping growth. In the long term, wood has no chance of remaining straight as a wall trellis for wisteria. In practice, a 10 x 10 centimeter post was twisted more than 90 degrees and ultimately broke. With round steel there is a better chance that the trellis will hold up. Solid steel with a diameter of 2 centimeters is recommended. Thick, stretched wire that is well anchored in the ground has proven successful. Once the scaffolding shoots of a wisteria are thick enough, they provide additional support.
The 3 most common cutting mistakes
A lazy wisteria with a dense network of long whip shoots is hardly reminiscent of the magnificently flowering climbing plant from the tree nursery and garden center. The reason for the disappointing performance are classic errors in cutting care. To ensure that your wisteria becomes the highlight of your garden, you should avoid these three common pruning mistakes:
| Cutting errors | malicious image | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| no parenting cut | uncontrolled growth, few flower clusters, damage to trellis and facade | Train wisteria with a few scaffolding shoots |
| cut too little | Growth in long lashes as a dense network, few or no flowers | prune vigorously twice a year |
| Water shots not removed | Wild rootstock overgrown noble variety | Cut off or tear off wild shoots promptly |
Home gardeners make another cutting mistake when transplanting a wisteria. The older the plant is when it changes location, the more root mass is lost. In order for the mighty climbing plant to compensate for the loss, all above-ground parts of the plant must be shortened by around half. The best time is in early spring, so that pruning removes a large proportion of this year's flower buds. If you don't cut back a transplanted wisteria by half for this reason, you will end up with a weak, lazy plant or its complete failure.
Blauregen Wisteria schneiden Formschnitt Blauregen Wisteria zurückschneiden Rückschnitt
Tip
Wisteria expresses its vigor not only above ground. In a sunny, nutrient-rich location, the magnificent climbing plant forms numerous, rather annoying runners. To prevent wisteria from taking over the entire garden through this “back door,” it should be planted with a root barrier. A depth of 60 to 80 centimeters with a diameter of 100 to 120 centimeters is well suited.
