I have a large wisteria, but it has never bloomed in the 10-12 years it has been here. Grows like a weed, but no flowers. I'd love to know the "trick", but I'm wondering if the flower buds just aren't winter hardy...you rarely see them around.

Hi, I am in WI. My mom had a HUGE wisteria that grew up and over a pear tree. My stupid brother (actually smart, more like crazy) cut down the pear tree because, "it didn't have fruit anymore because the wisteria was growing on it." So down went the wisteria some years ago, got all chopped up and burned with the pear tree. (Brother is a pyro.) But the blooms had been fabulous. Finally it has grown back enough that it had some blooms last year. It gets pretty cold here, I am at the top end of zone 5 very near to zone 4. Our plant has had no trouble that I know of except from my brother.

Marcia over in WI

Josh,This is from one of my Iowa garden books:
Wisteria grows well in full sun or partial shade.The soil should be of average fertility,moist and will drained.Wisteria grown in too fertile a soil will produce a lot of vegetative growth but very few flowers. Avoid planting near a lawn where fertilizer may leach into the vine's root zone.

could your soil be too fertile?
I love wisteria also. I just planted one. I have my fingers crossed.My sister has one about 5 years old. It has bloomed like mad sense it's 2d year. She says she's going to cut it down, because it's taking over her pergola. I'll cry if she does.

Could be...it is vey near what used to be a cattle lot. Oh, well...no way that monster can be moved now!

Last year I planted an Amethyst Falls wisteria. I've planned to try to grow it as a standard and kept it pretty well trimmed except for the top 6"-8". I was thrilled that it made it through it's first winter but I'm even more thrilled that it has about 8 buds on it ! This is an American wisteria and not as invasive as Chinese or Japanese wisterias. Also, proably not as fragrant. Nonetheless, I'm anxiously awaiting those first flowers !