Chinese Wisteria
Desiree Kohler


Weedy, destructive, and... available at your local nursery? Unfortunately, this 1916 import is still found at garden centers everywhere. Wisteria sinensis is a literal snake in the grass when it comes to forests, as the vines kill native trees by slowing strangling them, causing even mature trees to topple from girdling. This creates openings in the forest canopy that allows the invasive wisteria to proliferate even further.



Instead of Chinese wisteria, choose the native and equally lovely Wisteria frutescens. It has a less aggressive growth habit, with a mature height more suitable to gardens than the massive Asian counterpart.