Chinese wisteria Fabaceae Wisteria sinensis (Sims) DC. Listen to the Latin symbol: WISI Other Fact Sheets
Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, 7 to 13 ovate leaflets each 2 to 4 inches long, dark green above.
Flower: Very showy, purple or white (depending on cultivar) pea-like flowers, occurring in long hanging clusters, 8 to 12 inches long, appearing with the leaves, all the flowers of one raceme opening simultaneously.
Fruit: Finely fuzzy, pea-like pods, 3 to 6 inches long, persistent.
Twig: Slender, light brown, raised circular leaf scar, appressed triangular light brown buds, and false terminal bud.
Bark: Smooth, gray-brown, and fluted. Trunk can be quite large for a vine; older specimens can reach a foot in diameter.
Form: A climbing twining vine, reaching up to 40 feet in height often covering trees and shrubs, twines counter-clockwise.
Looks like: Japanese wisteria
leaf flower fruit twig bark form map
Additional Range Information:
Wisteria sinensis is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and may seed into the landscape. See states reporting Chinese wisteria. 		External Links:
USDAFS Additional Silvics
USDA Plants Database
Horticulture 		Copyright 2011
Virginia Tech Homepage CNRE FREC