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Curlygirl27
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Location: Attica, MI USA

"Native" Wisteria in Michigan- invasive?

Hello!

I have found a beautiful wisteria which I am thinking of planting (Wisteria macrostachys "Blue Moon") in my Michigan backyard (zone 5-6). The info I have says it is native to minnesota. I have heard that the asian wisteria are very invasive and send out underground runners- will my "native" wisteria do this?

Was also hoping someone could tell me if this particular wisteria really does rebloom through the summer (as the info I have says it will)? I thought most wisteria just bloomed for a short time in the spring.... I love to read these things online but you never really know how it will go in real life. :wink: Thanks!!!

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hendi_alex
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As long as you have a mowed lawn buffer about twenty feet around the plant it should be o.k., though you will also need to keep an eye out for seedlings. I have Asian wisteria growing up one oak tree in my back yard. It has been confined to that one tree for at least 15-20 years. During the first few years the plant did send up shoots from as much as 15-20 feet out on the root zone. Those were in the grass and got mowed every couple of weeks, so never got established. For some reason the plant just seemed to stop sending up the offshoots. About every two or three years, I cut the main vine off at about five or six feet and let it start over again with top growth. If this variety which is considered to be very invasive is so easy to manage, then the other less invasive varieties must represent no problem at all, with maybe just the slightest bit of monitoring or trimming. IMO it would still be smart to give the plant a decent buffer of grass, for easy maintenance should any volunteers come up from the root system.

I do grow another two or three varieties of wisteria in large pots. They seem to do very well in pot culture, and make very showy accent plants, especially when in bloom. I've had Asian wisteria growing in two pots for between 12-15 years, and they are still growing well.

Here is a photo of one of our potted plants, when in bloom.

[img]https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2186/2399864316_634aed2d22_b.jpg[/img]

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Curlygirl27
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The wisteria will be grown in a raised box which is attached to my deck/ pergola so there will be mowed lawn around three sides- I am just a bit worried about underneath the deck as there was no weedblock put down underneath when it was built. But hopefully it won't be a problem.

Thank you for your response. I appreciate it. :D

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rainbowgardener
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no sprouts should grow under your deck since there would be little to no sunlight there. They need to be in the sun.

The Natural
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Location: La, USA

I'm also hearing horror stories about wisterias, ive just recently dug up a native wisteria and planted it about 20 feet from my house. Maybe ill replant this bad boy a little further back before it gets too big too handle.

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ElizabethB
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There is an asian wisteria growing on my neighbors side of the fence. I love the flowers and the fragrance but it is a beast. It reaches over and grows up the carport post and gets on the power lines. Last summer Marie got out there with loppers and a chain saw and cut it back to within a foot of the ground. 3 weeks later it was all over the place again. My sister has an asian wisteria in a huge pot. She has it pruned to a tree form. She also has a Millettia Reticulata (everygreen wisteria) in pot and allows it to do it's thing because it is growing up and across a very stout frame for her garden swing. Although the flowers are beautiful that is not one you want too close to the house because they stink. Natural because of our very long growing season you may want to consider planting yours in a pot. Large pots can be expensive so see if you can get your hands on a 25 -30 gallon nursery pot that container trees are grown in. Check with local landscaping companies. If you don't like the look of the black plastic - spray paint.

I am curious to see what a MN native wisteria looks like.

The Natural
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As am I, when the ones around here start too blossom I will drive down the road and take a few pics for you guys. They are absolute beasts!!! I said I dugg mine up but I actually pulled a piece off a large wisteria that overgrew a oaktree and made it collapse all over the road. They may not take off like that up north but they go wild in the south.


Also Will these attract hummingbirds??

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Mr_bobo_
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WOW ... I never see Wisteria as bonsai...
...and WOW again... ! :shock:

The Natural
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Getting about that time of year I'm starting too see purple blooms on the wisterias, ill take a few pics of the giant monster wisterias around my area.



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