Wisteria

Wisteria is a genus of woody, climbing flowering vines native to East Asia and parts of North America, widely cultivated around the world for its dramatic cascading clusters of fragrant purple, blue, pink or white flowers that bloom in spring. Its long, twining stems can grow to great lengths and considerable thickness over the decades, capable of climbing trees, walls and pergolas and, once established, exerting enough force to damage weak structures if left unmanaged. The plant compound leaves and dense flower clusters make it a popular ornamental for arbors and trellises, and older specimens are prized for their thick, sculptural trunks, with some cultivated wisteria plants known to live and flower for well over a century. Wisteria seeds and other plant parts contain compounds that are toxic if ingested in quantity, a fact of some concern given the plant popularity in gardens with children or pets. Certain wisteria species, particularly those introduced from Asia to North America, have become invasive outside their native range, spreading aggressively and outcompeting native vegetation in some regions.