How to grow Wisteria in the UK
Wisteria sinensis
Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) is a flower that grows well in UK gardens. Twice-yearly pruning is the secret to flowers. Buy a named grafted variety — seedlings take 20 years. This guide covers when and how to sow Wisteria, the soil and position it likes, watering and feeding, companion planting, and when to harvest.
Type
Flowers
Difficulty
Challenging
Position
full sun (6+ hrs direct)
Sow
spring
Harvest
—
When to sow & grow Wisteria
Sowing and harvest window through the year (UK):
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov Plant | Dec |
Soil, position & care
- Soil
- Fertile, moisture-retentive soil with support to climb
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Position
- Full sun, sturdy support — it gets huge and heavy
- Sowing depth
- Plant rootball level; lean toward the support
- Spacing
- Allow 1–3 m per plant
- Sowing
- Buy a grafted plant (seedlings take 20 years to flower)
- Growing
- Be patient; water in summer to set buds
- Harvest & upkeep
- Prune twice — cut back whippy growth to 5 leaves in July, then to 2 buds in winter
- Watch for
- Generally trouble-free; brown scale
Companion planting for Wisteria
No specific companion notes for this plant.
Grow Wisteria this year
Add Wisteria to your free 12-month plan and get watering & sowing reminders — no sign-up needed.
Wisteria FAQs
How much sun does Wisteria need?
Wisteria prefers full sun (6+ hrs direct).
Is Wisteria easy to grow?
Challenging. Twice-yearly pruning is the secret to flowers. Buy a named grafted variety — seedlings take 20 years.