Plant · GBIF taxon 8149049
Wisteria sinensis
wisteria sinensisAlso known as Chinese Wisteria
Chinese wisteria is a vigorous, long-lived woody vine renowned for its cascading clusters of fragrant, violet-blue flowers that open simultaneously in early spring before leaves unfurl. Its heavy stems twine counter-clockwise around supports, capable of climbing high into tree canopies or crushing weaker wooden structures over time. Native to moist mountain forests in China, it has become a widely cultivated ornamental and an aggressive invasive species in temperate regions globally.
VineFragrantFlowering
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
- Deer
- Caterpillars
- Aphids
ThreatsHabitat loss in native range, actively controlled as an invasive weed in exotic ranges
HabitatsTemperate forests, woodland edges, riverbanks, and cultivated gardens
Life span50 to 100+ years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderFabales
- FamilyFabaceae
- GenusWisteria
- Specieswisteria sinensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- All parts, especially seeds and pods, contain toxic wisterin; keep away from pets and never ingest.
- Why it is dangerous
- Contains toxic wisterin glycosides and lectins that cause severe nausea, persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, and diarrhea if ingested.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognizable by thick twisting vines, dangling violet-purple flower racemes in early spring, and fuzzy bean-like seed pods in late summer.
- What to do
- Wear garden gloves during heavy pruning and collect dropped seed pods to keep them out of reach of children and livestock.
Responsible observation
- Pruning: Cut back long summer runners twice annually to manage size and encourage flowering spurs.
- Support: Provide exceptionally strong steel or masonry structures to withstand heavy woody trunks.
- Observation: Enjoy the rich fragrance and bustling bumblebee activity during its peak spring flush.
Close Relative Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative 
Family Member Pollinator at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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