Plant Details

Wisteria sinensis

Wisterias

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Common names

35 names · 27 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Chinese wisteria[1]
  • Wisterias
Other languages (26)
Dutch
  • Chinese blauweregen[1]
French
  • Glycine de Chine[1]
Arabic
  • وستارية صينية[1]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Kineska glicinija[1]
Czech
  • vistárie čínská[1]
  • wistárie čínská[1]
Danish
Estonian
  • hiina rippuba[1]
  • hiina sinivihm[1]
  • hiina visteeria[1]
Finnish
  • kiinansinisade[1]
German
  • Chinesische Wisteria[1]
  • Chinesischer Blauregen[1]
Greek
  • Γλυσίνα[1]
Hungarian
  • kínai lilaakác[1]
Italian
Japanese
  • シナフジ[1]
Lithuanian
  • Kininė visterija[1]
Polish
  • Glicynia chińska[1]
  • Słodlin chiński[1]
  • Wisteria chińska[1]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Глициния китайская[1]
Slovak
  • vistéria čínska[1]
Spanish
  • Glicina[1]
  • Visteria china[1]
Swedish
Thai
  • วิสเตเรียจีน[1]
Turkish
  • Çin mor salkımı[1]
Ukrainian
  • Ґліцинія китайська[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Wisteria sinensis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Chinese wisteria — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Glicínia — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • 紫藤 — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Glicine — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Glycine de Chine — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • vistárie čínská — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Kineska glicinija — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Chinesische Wisteria — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Глициния китайская — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Blåregn — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • シナフジ — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • wistárie čínská — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Visteria china — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • hiina sinivihm — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • hiina visteeria — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • hiina rippuba — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Chinese blauweregen — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Glicina — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Γλυσίνα — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • 紫藤 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • blåregn — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Çin mor salkımı — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • وستارية صينية — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Glicynia chińska — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Słodlin chiński — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Wisteria chińska — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • kínai lilaakác — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Kininė visterija — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • วิสเตเรียจีน — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Ґліцинія китайська — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Chinesischer Blauregen — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • kiinansinisade — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • Glicina — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.
  • vistéria čínska — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 127306; Wisteria sinensis.

General information

Scientific name: Wisteria sinensis
Accepted name (Kew): Wisteria sinensis (Sims) DC. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Fabaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Wisteria (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Wisterias
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Climber
Catalogue size class: Medium
Height: 3.05–7.62 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 1.22–9.14 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Climbing, Creeping, Dense, Spreading

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Flowers, Fruit, Tea
Edibility rating:
(1)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Nitrogen fixer, Paper, Fragrant

Description

"Seeds - cooked. Be careful, consult the toxicity information at the top of the page. Flowers - cooked. After thorough washing, they are cooked or processed into fritters. The flowers are sometimes candied in sugar and mixed with flour to create a local delicacy called 'Teng Lo.' The leaves contain allantoin and can be used as a coffee substitute. The young leaves are also edible."

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 30/11

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 200621; name ID 2466427; Wisteria Nutt.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 570225; name ID 2465133; Wisteria sinensis (Sims) DC..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Wisteria sinensis

    Taxonomic data from WCVP-Fabaceae, version 2026, v.7, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. This shares the Kew WCVP evidence base cited on this page.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 3822816, ID 9DQYB: Wisteria sinensis (Sims) DC. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Wisteria sinensis — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .