ALL wisteria requires considerable pruning, both to the contain/direct growth and to encourage heavy flowering. But you are correct in assuming that American wisteria, Wisteria frutescens, will grow with less rapidity and vigor than the Asian species and certainly with much less aggressiveness.

Have you considered growing it as a standard or tree-form? Although this requires some early attention in the form of training, etc., pruning is relatively simple as the entire plant is easily accessed without ladders, etc.Growing wisteria as a standard.

Gardengal, I did have a tree form (although it was the Asian inavasion type!) but I need a vine to cover a new pergola. I love the longer racemes of the Asian type, but the less aggressive American types are what I think I could maintain now (age is not always kind!). I hope to find an American type that may have some longer racemes, and maybe that great fragrance too!

Sorry but if you pick an American wisteria you will miss out on both the long racemes and the fragrance. The racemes are short and stubby - 6-9" - and the scent is slight compared to the Asians and described as "musky". Some consider it downright unpleasant and reminiscent of cat pee. Just saying............:-)

I was hoping that maybe there were some new American varieties that overcame some of those problems. I guess I'll have to consider some other vine. There's no way I can cope with the Asian type and I can't pay a landscaper all summer, so I guess I'll have to change plans.

Why not try a honeysuckle? Lonicera periclymenum is a gorgeous non-invasive vine that produces wonderfully fragrant flowers over an extended period. There are various cultivars on the market - 'Serotina', 'Scentsation', 'Graham Thomas'. The vine grows vigorously but modestly and doesn't require much, if any, pruning.

Serotina looks interesting. Thanks for the information. I couldn't find anything about whether or not it's evergreen or deciduous. I really like evergreen vines too and that would be a nice touch. Do you happen to know if it is evergreen?

No, although there are more or less evergreen forms of honeysuckle but without scent - look at Lonicera sempervirens. The wisteria is not evergreen either :-))

Oh I know that wisteria isn't evergreen, but (other than the control issue) it is gorgeous, so I would have overlooked the lack of being evergreen. I do grow Glesemium sempervirens 'Margarita" and it is a great vine. Evergreen, a good grower for sure but with thin and very easily trimmed growth, and covered with bright yellow trumpets in spring. No fragrance, but a really nice plant. I am also considering passion flower, some of which are perfectly hardy here. Not evergreen here, but interesting. Even though they will bloom each year (growing back from the roots) I doubt that they could grow back enough to cover a pergola in one season.

Lonicera sempervirens is also a plant that attracts hummingbirds, though as GG48 said, it has no scent. Mine still has leaves now, though it is only semi-evergreen here and usually loses most of its leaves.

There are also some of the more vigorous clematis such as the C. montanas that would work well on your pergola if you gave them some wires to climb to the top. They don't need much pruning at all, or if you choose one of the really large type 3 prunes, you would just need to take it down to a few buds in very early spring and they regrow quickly IME.