Wisteria macrostachya "Blue Moon"

This Wisteria is far more civilized and less aggressive than Chinese Wisteria; it is, after all, a well-behaved native. It is also has a reputation of re-blooming 2-3x throughout the summer. Great for porches, trellises, and fences.  

It is native to the southcentral U.S., ranging from Louisiana and Texas north to Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Oklahoma, often bordering swamps, bayous and low streams (Steyermark). It is very similar in appearance to Wisteria frutescens, American Wisteria, and was once designated as W. frutescens var. macrostachya. It is noted for its excellent winter hardiness and ability to produce flowers in USDA Zones 3-4. ‘Blue Moon’ is a cultivar that grows to 15-25’ and features 6-12” long racemes of fragrant, pea-like, blue flowers that bloom in June with 1-2 additional flushes of bloom occurring in summer. Flowers bloom somewhat simultaneously on the racemes thus producing a dramatic floral display. Flowers give way to pendant, velvety, bean-like seed pods (4-5” long) which ripen in autumn and may persist into winter. Stems twine counter-clockwise and are clad with compound, odd-pinnate, deep green leaves (each leaf typically with 9 ovate leaflets). Over time, the stems of this vine become twisted and trunk-like. Genus name honors Caspar Wistar (1761-1818), a professor of anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania.