Known for their long, cascading flowers, wisteria plants can add an elegant and mysterious touch to any garden. However, to ensure they reach their full flowering potential, proper maintenance is essential. According to gardening expert and BBC presenter Monty Don, pruning in June is key.
Wisteria typically blooms in late spring to early summer, with distinctive purple blossoms appearing in May or June in the UK. These plants also emit a delightful scent, ranging from musky and slightly spicy to sweet. As a fast-growing climbing plant, wisteria is ideal for decorating walls or fences.
Monty Don emphasizes that June is the perfect time to prune wisteria, as this allows new flowers to emerge. He explains in his blog that wisteria produces flowers on new growth, which emerges from spurs off the main shoots. After the plants have finished flowering—usually around mid-June—gardeners should prune the new shoots back to a spur, leaving no more than about 6 inches of growth. This helps keep new growth close to the main vine and removes unwanted shoots that could mar the garden’s appearance.
Gardeners should also use this opportunity to tidy up the entire plant, including trimming and tying away any loose, trailing shoots. Monty advises erring on the side of cutting too lightly if unsure about the extent of pruning, as there will be other opportunities to do so.
In the new year, after the foliage has begun to die back, wisteria can be pruned again, reducing each side shoot to just 2 or 3 inches. This helps prevent the plant from becoming a mass of woody tissue and foliage, which could damage walls or fences. Unchecked, wisteria can also pose a threat to surrounding plants by wrapping around and choking them.
Other care tips for wisteria include ensuring they are planted in well-drained soil, as they dislike excessive moisture. They should also be grown in a sheltered, sunny spot.
