Chinese wisteria: Wisteria sinensis (Fabales: Fabaceae)

Chinese wisteria
Fabales > Fabaceae > Wisteria sinensis (Sims) DC.
Chinese wisteria is a deciduous woody vine capable of growing to a height of 40 ft. (12.2 m). Stems can be up to 10 in. (25.4 cm) in diameter with smooth, gray-brown bark. Alternate, pinnately compound (7-13 leaflets) leaves are tapered at the tip with wavy edges. Leaflets are approximately 3 in. (7.6 cm) in length. Lavender, purple or white flowers are fragrant, very showy and abundant and occur in long, dangling clusters in the spring. Seeds are contained in flattened, hairy, 6 in. (15.2 cm) long, bean-like pods. Invasions often occur around previous plantings. Chinese wisteria can displace native vegetation and kill trees and shrubs by girdling them. The vine has the ability to change the structure of a forest by killing trees and altering the light availability to the forest floor. A native of China, it was first introduced into the United States in 1816 for ornamental purposes.

Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources

Invasive Plants of Asian Origin Established in the United States and Their Natural Enemies - Volume 2 - USDA Forest Service

Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests - USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station

Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service & U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Prescriptions for Specific Nonnative Invasive Plants - USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station

Weeds Gone Wild Fact Sheets - Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group

Weeds of the Week - USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area, Forest Health Protection

Selected Images from Invasive.org

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Plant(s); Nancy Fraley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Foliage; May James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Flower(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Flower(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Flower(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Flower(s); James R. Allison, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Fruit(s); September Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Seed(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Damage; Vines girdling pine Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Feature(s); Stems Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Plant(s); Large vine climbing up a tree Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Flower(s); Chinese Wisteria in Loblobby Pines Randy Westbrooks, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Infestation; David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Infestation; Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024

Invasive Reference(s):

Check Invasive.org for most current lists.

Alabama - IPC List
Florida - EPPC list
Georgia - EPPC list
South Carolina - EPPC List
Tennessee - EPPC List
Texas - Invasive Plant List
Virginia - Invasive Alien Plant Species
Mid-Atlantic - EPPC List
Invasive Plants of the Upper Midwest
Invasive Plant Atlas of the Mid-South

External Links


				Bargeron, C.T., C.R. Minteer, C.W. Evans, D.J. Moorhead, G.K. Douce and R.C. Reardon. Technical Coordinators. 2008. Invasive Plants of the United States DVD-ROM: Identification, Biology and Control. USDA Forest Service. Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. Morgantown, WV. FHTET-08-11.