Wisteria Sinensis Bonsai

I have tried growing a Wisteria in Colorado once as a landscape plant and it did not turn out well. The plant lived for a few years and then went into permanent hibernation. 20 some years latter I thought I would try one as a Bonsai using nursery stock. I found a nice one with an interesting trunk about 1 inch wide and had it for several years, before it also went into permanent hibernation. I had been looking for another one with no success. Driftwood Bonsai in Oregon had a very nice Wisteria for sale on their website. I contacted them and the sale was made. Tom at Driftwood Bonsai is a very nice person and I plan on buying some more trees from him.

The tree arrived in good condition as Tom at Driftwood is a very skilled shipper. International Bonsai Master Larry Jackel Curator of the Denver Botanic Gardens Bonsai collection agreed to let me keep it down at the Chatfield greenhouse for the winter and early spring. I took the tree down there and Larry suggested changing the planting angle of the tree and stand it up upright so you can see the trunk better. I said I will think about doing it. Larry agreed to help re-pot the tree into a better pot. A Sara Rayner pot was selected for the tree and I let Larry make the final decision on two Sara Rayner pots. The pot was purchased and arrived shortly afterwards. Larry and I carefully removed the tree from its old pot and the tree was full of very fine white roots which is a good thing. Larry’s study group picked what side of the pot to use as the front of the tree. The tree was re-positioned in the pot and some of the root structure was removed from what is now the top of the soil line. The tree was wired into the pot and black air line tubing was used to hide the wire and protect the roots/trunk. Soil was carefully added to the pot and massaged in not to damage any of the roots. Finally the tree was finished and was watered twice and placed in the cold side of the greenhouse. Much to our surprise the tree was pushing out flower buds. Way to early in Colorado for a Wisteria to be blooming, but what were we supposed to do? Nothing! After we re-potted the tree the main trunk went up and over and was pointing straight down. I decided that I did not like this and changed the trunk and put some movement in it and lifted the last part of the trunk up and hopefully look better. Time will tell. A few of the branches were wired and I did discover they are easily to break off the trunk. So be careful if your trying to wire one.

The flower buds are extending well and the tree will be on display at the Denver Botanic Gardens welcome center. The color of the flowers are white and light blue.

This tree will ultimately end up in the Denver Botanic Gardens Bonsai collection in the near future.

A dwarf wisteria bonsai by Jonas Dupuich

A Trick to Try with Your Wisteria this Summer- by Michael Hagedorn

Blooming Springtime—Wisteria and Iris by Michael Hagedorn

Wisteria Special mit Grußwort Mari Kodama by BonsaiKunstHamburg New 07-27-2021

More on Growing Wisteria- by Michael Hagedorn

Why Won’t My Wisteria Bloom? by Michael Hagedorn

Wisteria In Bloom! And Quiz… by Michael Hagedorn

Wisteria/ Wisteria Bonsai by Bonsai4me

Courtesy of Driftwood Bonsai are 3 photos of the tree while it was in bloom in 2018.

Wisteria sinensis Bonsai Spring 2018

Update 01-16-2020: The tree was donated to the Denver Botanic Gardens Bonsai Pavilion in the fall of 2019. The tree suffered die back during the winter of 2019. Half of the main trunk died back and the tree sprouted numerous new branches lower on the trunk.

New Gallery 05-08-2019: Notice the size of the trunk.