Wisteria tree vs lattice?

Question

Is it hard to make wisteria grow into a tree instead of on a lattice? How big can a tree get or will it remain a small tree?

not on a tree, but into a tree. My neighbors have one.

like this: http://www.thelensflare.com/large/vine_9863.jpg

Answer 1

No it isn't hard, but it can be time consuming. The ones you see already trained, are usually grafted and are more than a couple years old.

If you're starting off with a young plant, like a one gallon sized starter plant, it will be a long time until you see your project completed. You'll have to stake the plant, train it up the stake, remove side shoots and suckers. Once it reaches the height you want it to branch out at, you tip the vine. Keep the branches short 'spurs', so you can thicken up the 'trunk'. Once the trunk is 3/4" diameter, you might be able to unstake it, but I really would recommend you leave it staked, indefinitely.

As one answerer already suggested, there are already 'tree' formed wisteria you can buy (they aren't too expensive, nor are they too big!) Monrovia nursery (a grower) sells them all over the nation. You can also train them to vine up a structure. It could branch out from the top. Imagine a heavy stake (4"x4" cemented in the ground) with a wire cage atop it. Remove leaves and small branches off of the vines that climb the heavy stake, allow the top to fill out naturally.

Young plants may take up to seven, yes, seven years to bloom. Patience is virtue when growing Wisteria.

I hope that this helps
Good luck-

Answer 2

Wisteria can be trained into a tree, but it takes some time. Start with a young vine, and fasten it to a post because it will not stand on its own until it gets quite large. When it gets to the height you want it, cut the top off. It will branch, and get long. Keep cutting it off close to the top, and it will branch more and more. When the top gets as wide as you want it, let it grow until the branches get about three feet long, and shorten them. Each fall, cut them off back to the top. This should give you a good tree in five or six years. You will have to keep it trimmed in the active growing season, or it will get out of hand and make a vine of itself again. If it doesnt bloom, in the fall, go out there with a sharp spade and dig down all the way around it, pruning it's roots aboout 2 feet away from the trunk. Do not dig it up, just root prune it. Some super-phosphate fertilizer in the spring will help it also.

Answer 3

Actually, wisteria trees are pretty popular in Albuquerque. They can be bought at some of the nurseries already trained as trees, but I suspect they are expensive. You can train a wisteria to grow unsupported, but it takes some time and patience. It is such a strong grower that it can take some drastic pruning without giving up the ghost. But it will have to be a small tree, not a tall one. I've seen one 10 to 12 feet tall and maybe 15 or more feet in width.
Do you have a local nursery where you can ask about pruning? It's really best if you can see what to do rather than have it described.

Answer 4

Wisteria is a vine. I suppose it could be trained to climb on a tree. I've always seen it growing either on a fence or lattice. The vine can get very heavy as it matures so you don't want to train it to climb a delicate tree.

Answer 5

about 10-15 years

plus you miss the cool effect of having a wisteria tunnel with the tree

I would go with the lattice

Answer 6

you can grow it on a post it helps to give support like a tree does. it takes a lot of work but they are beautiful and different.

Answer 7

no, just prune it often like it is a large bonsai.