'Amethyst Falls,' like other Wisteria, is a strong grower, reaching 30 feet or more. It is, however, not invasive like its Asian cousins. This native variety is less vigorous and easier to manage, refraining from choking out trees over time, as some Wisteria are wont to do - a distinct advantage in the South, where Wisteria can run wild! All of these things make it an ecologically sensitive choice.
'Amethyst Falls' flowers sooner than the Asian types (some of which can take 10 years or more), blooming its first season with fragrant, vividly blue flowers on 4- to 6-inch racemes that appear in spring and repeat all summer. Its bloom also arrive about two weeks later than others, so late-winter frosts seldom affect flowering.
The many attributes of 'Amethyst Falls', which include its deer and drought tolerance and its disease-resistant foliage, earned it a Georgia Gold Medal in 2006. This gorgeous vine is a perfect choice for pergolas, trellises, fences, arbors, and containers, attracting butterflies to your garden all summer long. It can also be trained as a free-standing tree - tie it to a sturdy 5- or 6-foot stake and prune the top to encourage branching.
Pruning should occur in late winter to shape and remove any undesirable growth. Another light trim after the first flush of flowers will improve branching and produce an encore bloom. Zones 5-9.
As the deer population has boomed and
food has become scarcer, they have become more aggressive. In some areas deer will
strip your garden bare, leaving nothing green or flowery behind. While there is no such thing as a completely deer-proof garden, there
are some effective things you can do to protect your garden from these
hungry animals.
Set out plants at least 6 feet apart, in a well-drained, humusy soil. Full sun assures optimum bloom; Wisteria also prefers locations with southern or western exposures.
Avoid nitrogenous fertilizers, which will produce exces sive vegetation at the expense of flowering. Instead, yearly applications of super phosphate should be made in the fall.
Allow one leader shoot to grow from the end of each main framework branch. Cut these back – best if done in winter – by half. In the summer, pinch side shoots to 6 or 7 leaves, and pinch back side shoot branchlets to first or second leaf.
Follow this procedure for several years, until the plant has filled its desired space; thereafter, only the side shoots will need pruning. In winter, cut these back to spurs 1 to 3 inches from the base and eliminate dead wood and suckers.
Prune to one strong main stem and attach to a sturdy stake. Continue to cut off all shoots except the main stem, allowing top growth to remain. When trunk reaches desired height, pinch out top growth, then allow branches to grow from upper portion, while pinching side shoots in summer and pruning in winter as described above.
Zones various