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View Full Version : Is wisteria kin to kudzu ?



Oakridge
03-22-2012, 08:13 PM
When we moved here a few years ago, there was an old log tenant house on the property. I guess at one time someone planted a Wisteria vine. I'm not sure how long it had been vacant but from the size of the trees around it, at least 50 to 75 years. The flowers are pretty but the vines cover about two acres now. GG

gray cat
03-22-2012, 08:17 PM
I don't know but the flowers are very pretty.I see kudzu growing several places around here too. Scary stuff!

Sp00ks
03-22-2012, 08:18 PM
I don't think so but it is an invasive vine. We have some, cut it back every year.

Joey S
03-22-2012, 08:27 PM
I have been trying to get rid of one wisteria plant in my side yard for years. Thankfully I've not been invaded yet by Kudzu. At least wisteria has a pretty flower. :D:

SouthernStarr
03-22-2012, 08:40 PM
I don't think they are related but they are both very invasive. Once it's established, it's very hard to get rid of. At our very first house I planted it on a chain link fence and it swallowed the chain link so you couldn't even see the fence in places:eek:

BarbJ
03-22-2012, 09:21 PM
Oh yeah, no kidding, you would think so! We have one that was planted probably 50 years ago on our front patio and covers the lath over it.

It's a darn messy vine, leaves the winter, flower petals in the spring, seeds and seed pods in the late fall/winter, and all that needs to be swept up on a patio. Then the pruning twice a year so it doesn't take over the world! You're lucky, you can just let them be! lol!

But it's a monster. I tell folks at work (I work at a plant nursery) that you need to have a very strong support!
I've seen them pull a regular trellis right up out of the ground, and I've seen the trunk crack and pull down your average sized fence post. We have several true 6"x6" redwood post holding up the patio lath, and they seem up to it.

It's not very invasive around here by seedlings though, I think they do need summer water to survive, so those sprouts that don't get watered in the summer generally die. But I could see where they could get out of hand in areas with rain in the summer.

But, boy! They sure do smell good!! Here's a post from a couple years ago when ours looks particularly good.
http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?109155-Wisteria-is-best-part-of-March

sworley
03-22-2012, 09:52 PM
It's very invasive. I have to battle it every Spring because little sprouts appear all over my yard.

jjspond
03-22-2012, 11:26 PM
Mine mostly died last year (I finished it off with a chain saw and Brush-Be-Gone) and no way would I plant another. I had to trim every other week to keep it where I wanted and looking good. I did not miss that last summer at all! It never did bloom like those shown on this thread or the other. In the 27 years it was there I think maybe one year it was actually "pretty".

gatorlover
03-23-2012, 07:02 AM
Just remember where there are blooms there are millions of seed. It is like Formosa..Beautiful and smells nice, but they are so prolific. And they don't just come up where you want them to either.

matherfish
03-23-2012, 07:34 AM
Strange. Why is it things we want to grow are so difficult, and things we do not want grow so easily? :yes: I have to fight weeds from growing in my lawn (I think I am losing big time :D:) but also have to fertilize the grass so that it will grow. Who was it that came up with the idea that lawns should be grass and not weeds anyway? :rofl2:

tnovak
03-25-2012, 01:09 PM
There's 2 kinds of wisteria.....I had the hysterical kind.....finally flowered after 10 years, but also invaded thru the garage floor 100 feet away, swallowed the neighbor's fence 50 feet away, invaded the septic lines....been trying for 10 years now to erradicate ALL the vines that grow right under the grass, almost impossible. Will NEVER plant it again!!!!

FIT BMX
03-25-2012, 06:32 PM
:rofl2::rofl2::rofl2::D:

http://images.ucomics.com/comics/ga/1985/ga850605.gif

FIT BMX
03-25-2012, 06:36 PM
If any of you have Kudzu around, it makes some of the best compost you can get!

We have wild Queen Ann's lace, and it can be a real pain in the neck!

gold4me
03-29-2012, 02:14 PM
We've got wisteria here too, my MIL planted, and as stated can and will get &@#* invasive:catfight:....and we've learned you DON'T want it planted ANYWHERE near water lines. I would have prefered to have it planted in pots but.....