Re: heading back wisteria

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I sat down and cried a year ago last winter.  We had some structural damage at our house and to get to part of the area, the workers dismantled the arbor.  I had no idea they were going to do so and came home and found it in pieces on the lawn, and a fairly young wisteria 'Longissima alba' hacked off at three feet.  It was so supple that they could have simply looped it back onto the ground, too.  

It had been being nurtured by me for  two years and had the spring before bloomed for the first time.

Later last summer a huge number of "water sprout" branches erupted from right above the break and grew like crazy, up and back over the top of the arbor and spilling everywhere.  I didn't quite have the heart to attempt to prune it or know exactly where to begin.  This spring every single branch was covered in long racemes of the lovely white flowers this form is known for.  Now, I'll have to go up into it and try and figure out how to get it trained properly, even with this funny "stick" that protrudes from the ground and from which all the branches begin.

Not the same situation as the original thread but I couldn't help commenting.  It was like a miracle to see this come back, grow so rapidly, and look so beautiful this spring. I had purchased this form after seeing the wonderful one that Dick Dunmire (retired as editor at Sunset Western Garden Book) has on his back patio.

Carol Moholt

On Apr 23, 2007, at 11:28 AM, Jan Smithen wrote:

Hello Susan,

Yes. your friend's wisteria will re-sprout.  However very often, not where you expect or want: either below the graft union if there is one, or from below ground.  If I were to do this, I'd try to leave one or two fairly long branches and just tie or brace them back while the new arbor is being built.  Then she'll have to be faithful to pull, cut off, or dig out those lower sprouts as they come in the next years.

Cathy R. (of this list) and I were just having a wisteria discussion concerning its roots lifting patio floors.  Perhaps she'll have additional advice for you.

Jan Smithen

Upland, CA

Zone 18

On Apr 23, 2007, at 8:33 AM, Susan Bouchez wrote:

Can anyone help me advise a friend about severely cutting back an old wisteria vine? It is at least 30 years old, with a large braid of a trunk. The arbor that it sprawls on needs to be replaced, so I am wondering if it is possible to head back the trunk at the height of the new arbor. Will the wisteria re-sprout out of the trunk? I know they are tough but will it accept this abuse?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Susan Bouchez

Los Altos, CA