Is wisteria Blue Moon fragrant?

20 years ago

My wisteria quest continues. I've been looking for a wisteria that won't eat the house, which pretty much rules out Chinese or Japanese wistera. Then I read about our native wisteria. AMETHYST FALLS American wisteria looked promising until I actually smelled a bloom at a local nursery. It was not pleasant and the bloom looked more like a lilac blossom than what you'd expect from a wisteria flower cluster.

Now I've read about the new Kentucky wisteria (W. macrostacha) BLUE MOON that has the repeat bloom ability of American Wisteria, matures at 30', and is supposed to be sweetly fragrant.

That is if you can believe catalog descriptions, which I don't. So has anybody on this forum actually grown this wisteria and if so is it SWEETLY fragrant? The perfume doesn't have to be as strong as Japanese wisteria, just so long as it is detectible and isn't offensive.

Oh and does it really repeat?

Thanks,

Patrick

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Comments (4)

arctictropical
18 years ago
Even though the original post is over 2 years old, for those that may be interested, 'Blue Moon' wisteria does have a sweet fragrance, at least in my opinion. I can't say enough good about this variety. It is perfectly hardy in zone 4, blooms quite young on new wood, has beautiful pale blue-violet flowers, and is not as vigorous as the oriental varieties.
Molineux
Original Author
17 years ago
I'm glad that somebody finally answered my question. Many gardeners are in need of a wisteria that won't eat the house. Please notice folks that Blue Moon is a KENTUCKY WISTERIA. It was breed from a native North American species. It is less aggressive than the Asian varieties (although it is still pretty tough and can eventually grow up to 25 feet high), is a whole lot hardier (to zone 5), blooms faster (usually the second year) and has been known to repeat bloom. IMHO the sweet fragrance is the cherry on the sundae. A tree form Blue Moon wisteria would be a good replacement for my dying white birch tree...

Best wishes,

Patrick

Image of Blue Moon wisteria by Arctictropical at a previous thread.
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nivolle
17 years ago
Patrick, did you plant the Blue Moon, back in '06? If not, what did you decide on, and how big is it now? I am new to Garden Web, and noted this old posting, yet I am still interested.

Constance
smithmal
13 years ago
In my yard I have a Amethyst Falls wisteria vine which is being trained into a tree. I just purchased a Blue Moon variety which will be trained onto a wooden fence that get's full sun.

I have wild wisteria growing near a State Park near me which I thought I could transplant and use in my yard. After noticing that it practically has taken over a city block, I thought better of it and decided to stay with my American varieties.

I'm pleased to hear that the Blue Moon variety is fragrant as I intend to move it to a portico over the backyard patio once it is built. I have two questions for all the "Blue Moon" owners out there:

1. How much growth do you see per season with this variety?
2. Have you actually seen re-blooming with this variety and if so, are their any tricks to force the wisteria to re-bloom that I should know about?

Thanks,

smithmal