Plants that are grafted, and plants grown from cuttings or layered from a flowering plant will usually begin flowering earlier than seedlings. Wisteria sinensis or Chinese wisteria, and Wisteria floribunda or Japanese wisteria. The Chinese wisteria is the more popular plant due to its flowering habit. It grows to a height of 25 feet or more and has flower clusters six inches to a foot in length, which open before the foliage has expanded. Individual flowers in the clusters open all at once for a very showy display.
Flowers are violet-blue and slightly fragrant.
Plants are most showy from early to mid-May in most seasons. There is also a white flowering form of Chinese wisteria, W. sinensis 'Alba,' which is very fragrant. Japanese wisteria grows to a height of 25 feet or more and has violet-blue, fragrant flowers that bloom as the foliage is also expanding. Individual flowers open gradually from the base of the cluster to the tip. Clusters can be 12 to 18 inches in length and are effective in late May in most seasons.