Amethyst Falls wisteria and my pergola

Discussion in 'Vines and Climbers' started by troiano, Jun 2, 2009.

  1. troiano

    troiano Member

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    Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. This past weekend, I completed construction of my deck and pergola. I went to my local nursery, looking for a vine to climb and cover my pergola. They recommended Wisteria, and sold me Amethyst Falls Wisteria. I bought 5 plants, 1 for each 4x6 support. Since planting them on sunday, Ive been reading up on them. While I read they are less invasive then their Asian counterparts, I'm begining to sense I have overplanted. I loved the vision (in my head) of 1 vine growing up each support, and forming a massive canope above. The way my deck is built, it keeps them away from my house, and pruning should keep them from reaching that far.

    I just wanted to get some thoughts as to the number of plants I used. Also, I now have read the smell isnt very pleasant, any thoughts on that?

    Thank you everyone for their input.

    Jeff in Mt Juliet TN
     

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  2. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Well if you have overplanted, it won't be a problem for a few years. If they grow very vigorously you can always remove a few plants later once the pergola is lushly covered.

    I'm not familiar with the cultivar, but the flowers pics on the Web look gorgeous. Hard to imagine a wisteria that stinks, that could be a problem, since you will be hanging out on the deck below it.
     
  3. Harry Homeowner

    Harry Homeowner Active Member

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    I don't feel you over planted. I'm not sure of its growth rate but from what I've read Amethyst Falls grows far slower than Asian Wisteria. How far is the top of the pergola from the ground 8, 10'? Even if it grows 2' a year that's still about 4 years till each one reaches the pergola itself.

    Also, that variety also blooms on new wood so if need be prune it back, this will also help make a "fuller" ceiling.

    Can't say anything about the smell though.
     
  4. troiano

    troiano Member

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    The pergola is 16 foot wide, and 9 foot deep. The 4x6 support posts are roughly 14 foot high, I bought 16 foot posts, and they were put about 2 foot in ground. I'm 6 foot 7 inches tall and cant reach the top of it, standing, and barely reach when I jump, so its up there a ways. After reading a lot the past few days, Ive ordered 1 Asian Wistera, and plan on transplanting the 1 plant that is on the center post.
     
  5. troiano

    troiano Member

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    I've only had these plants in the ground about 3 weeks, but they are already flowering for me. I've read this American Wisteria will bloom in spring and late summer. Im loving that its blooming in June. I did however remove 1 of the plants, and put a Chinese Wisteria in its place.

    Hard to tell but there are 5 purple flower bunches on this one, and the others have buds developing
     

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  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    I've looked at it and smelled it at a local outlet. Does not reek, just has a faint unappealing scent of no consequence. While this is somewhat of a deficit what I didn't like in partcular was the funny blunt-ended short shape of the flower spikes.

    This selection was found in South Carolina.
     
  7. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Location:
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    This is my chinese wisteria vine, grown from seed. It will be spending the summer outdoors soon.

    I am creating a tree-like plant, but no blooms for many years...

    : )
     

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  8. troiano

    troiano Member

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    Aside from the large Chinese I planted this past weekend, I have a smaller plant, that I put in a large pot, with a 5 foot metal fence post. Im going to try and train that into a tree, and once bigger, replant in the middle of my back yard. Well away from anything to grab onto. I also order some White Chinese Wisteria seeds, and am going to try and grow those. If I can get one going, I may add that to my pergola also, so that I can have white and purple flowers, in time, of course.
     
  9. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Oh you'll get them going - I just know it! I have germinated the seeds and they are so easy! Maybe we'll do a trade sometime - I have the purple colored chinese wisteria, and would love the white, also.

    I have a friend who had their wisteria collapse! It got too top heavy and it was a little 5 foot tall tree in her yard, where it had been for over 7 years. One morning she went out and saw that it was on the ground!!!

    : O

    It is so important to set these plants up with a sturdy stake if they are to be trained as trees. The vine will incorporate the metal stake as part of it's trunk, and it will hold up to years of winds, weather, and growth. If my friend's vine was staked with metal, it would not have come down. It just got too top-heavy!

    : (

    Sounds like your vine Troiano, will be well staked. Good luck...

    : )
     
  10. troiano

    troiano Member

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    I bought 5 white Chinese Wisteria seeds on eBay, from a seller, for $4. I'm also thinking, when I plant my Wisteria tree in the yard, of adding a 8 foot 4x4 fence post I have left over. I could put in the ground 2 feet, with cement. And allow the tree to form around that.
     
  11. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    I got a handful of both Chinese and Japanese florabunda wisteria seeds, through seed swaps, from people on this very forum!

    Thank you, to those involved. I hope you are enjoying my seeds, as much as I am enjoying yours. The pictures of my growings are my way to show appreciation to the people who set me up with the seeds.

    Seed trades with fellow gardeners are way more rewarding than anything they could offer on eBay. Although I realize this may be the only source for some people, and that's ok. I just prefer seed trading, to anything else.

    : )
     

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