Evergreen Wisteria – Millettia reticulata
Sometimes listed as Wisteria megasperma, Evergreen Wisteria is native to China. It is a member of the Pea family, it is a twining woody vine which resembles wisteria but is not invasive as wisteria. It grows best in full Sun, moist rich well-drained and prefers slightly acid soil but any pH will do once established. The leaves are thicker than wisteria with glossy dark green. This plant is part evergreen during mild winter. It produces 10 inch dark wine/purple colored clusters of flowers from Spring to Summer. The flowers clusters don’t hang down like wisteria but sort of turn up at the ends. I have seen it bloom in Fall as well. The blooms are fragrant but sometimes are hidden by the thick foliage. The blooms drop over a long period followed by seed pods. The seed pods mature in late fall. They are thick, velvety, elongated with contracted at intervals. Sow seeds in Fall and in Spring after danger of frost.
This plant grows fast, up to 20 feet and to 30 feet in more tropical areas. It looks attractive on an arbor, fence or other garden structure. It looks nice as a stand alone shrub as a specimen also. This plant is easier to control than the wisteria but will need some pruning on a regular basis.
Minimize nitrogen fertilizer to encourage more blooms than foliage. Evergreen wisteria is reported to be drought tolerant. Few pests bother this plant but whiteflies, spider mites and aphids can be an issue.
M. taiwanensis has deep purple flowers and is reported to be more cold tolerant and shrub-like than M. reticulata and with a more moderate growth.
submitted by Karen Blackburn