Wisteria sinensis

Wisteria Sinensis is also known as the Chinese Wiseria. It is a member of the pea family and a flowering plant. It is native to China in the provinces Guangxi (Guangzhou), Guizhou, Guizhou, Hebei. Henan. Hubei. Shaanxi. It is a deciduous vine that can grow to 20-30m (66-98 feet) in height. It is widely grown in temperate areas for its twisting stems, and mass of fragrant flowers in hanging racemes in spring.

Description

Wisteria sinensis clings to supporting plants or man-made structures by counterclockwise-twining stems. The leaves are shiny, green, pinnately compound, 10-30 cm in length, with 9-13 oblong leaflets that are each 2-6 cm long. The flowers are either white, violet or blue and are produced on racemes of 15-20 cm before the leaves emerge in spring. Each raceme’s flowers open at the same time as the leaves, giving rise to a distinct fragrance that is similar to grapes. It has less racemes than Wisteria maribunda (Japanese Wiseria), but it can produce a greater number of racemes. The pod is flattened and velvety brown and has thick, disk-like seeds that measure around 1 cm in diameter. They mature in summer and then crack open to release the seeds. The empty pods can often remain until winter. Seed production is usually low and the majority of regenerative growth happens through layering and sucking.

All parts of the plant contain a glycoside called wisterin which is toxic if ingested and may cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, and diarrhea. Wisterias have caused poisoning in children of many countries, producing mild to severe gastroenteritis.