wisteria which has never flowered?

[goosey]

I have a wisteria which I planted almost 5 years ago. It has never flowered plenty of foliage though. I'm not sure which type it is but it's one that twists anti-clockwise. It's grown to the top of the wall (5ft 6in) then I've trained it to go along the top and currently stands at approx 7ft. Am I being impatient or is there no chance of it flowering after all this time?

[nightshade]

I have heard lots of people have this problem so;
Royal Horticultural Society - Gardening Advice: Wisteria Pruning & Flower Failure

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by goosey

I have a wisteria which I planted almost 5 years ago. It has never flowered plenty of foliage though. I'm not sure which type it is but it's one that twists anti-clockwise. It's grown to the top of the wall (5ft 6in) then I've trained it to go along the top and currently stands at approx 7ft. Am I being impatient or is there no chance of it flowering after all this time?

It's all to do with how and what time of year it is pruned. Sorry I can't be more specific than this but sure someone will come up with the correct answer.
Roger

[Garden Carpet]

Hi, wisteria can take many years to flower. Seven years is not unheard of. Mine didnt flower in that time and produced a few flowers the year I moved from the house!! It is possible yours is one of the lazy ones.. as mine was. It will flower one day... probably when you least expect it to.
jaki

[henrya]

Originally Posted by Garden Carpet

Hi, wisteria can take many years to flower. Seven years is not unheard of. Mine didnt flower in that time and produced a few flowers the year I moved from the house!! It is possible yours is one of the lazy ones.. as mine was. It will flower one day... probably when you least expect it to.
jaki

I'd go with that (only know because I heard them saying the same thing on Gardener's Question Time a couple of weeks ago.!)

henrya

[goosey]

Thanks all for your prompt responce and for the handy link nightshade, it's has really useful and easy advice.
You give me hope garden carpet, I didn't want to have to do anything drastic - like replace it and wait again.

[Garden Carpet]

Originally Posted by henrya

I'd go with that (only know because I heard them saying the same thing on Gardener's Question Time a couple of weeks ago.!)

henrya

Was it really? I dont have a radio so missed that. Good that they think the same as I do
jaki

[steve_nova]

Hi,

As said above, Wisteria can take a number of years before flowering.

Once your plant has covered the required area (and built up enough older wood) you need to prune last seasons wood (the long whippy bits) back to a few buds. The RHS book of pruning if I recall suggests mid-winter. Pretty much like pruning a grape vine then.....hic!

They key is to leave a short bit of last years wood (called a spur) with a couple of buds that should become flowers, if not this year, then in future years.

Rather like old grapevines, this regular pruning eventually develops multi-headed "knuckles" along the permanent branches as you leave a small bit of growth each year, but this is where the flowers will mostly come from over time.

You can also give the current seasons growth a half length prune in late August/September before its final winter prune. This I beleive should also help those basal buds develop into flowers.

Steve.

[Brachystegia]

Gardener's World magazine, February 2007 issue has an article, cover tag-line, Why won't my wisteria flower? by Alan Titchmarsh.

[goosey]

Thank you all for your comments.
Steve -I presume I can prune it now then, I dont know anything about pruning grapevines but I think that wont be a problem, your explanation is clear, a great help.
Brachystegia - I shall give my mum a ring and see if she can send me a copy - thanks for the tip.

[Susie]

Goodness me! Do I have to wait seven years for my plant to flower?

I found a wisteria seed pod a few weeks back, there was one viable seed so I stuck it in a pot and now it has sprouted - I was looking forward to seeing the flowers if not this year then next.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by goosey

Thank you all for your comments.
Steve -I presume I can prune it now then, I dont know anything about pruning grapevines but I think that wont be a problem, your explanation is clear, a great help.
Brachystegia - I shall give my mum a ring and see if she can send me a copy - thanks for the tip.

When I was managing some gardens I had 3 large Wisterias. 2 of these flowered brilliantly, twice a year, the third despite it's south facing attitude hardly ever produced any flowers no matter what the treatment. All were mature plants.

It's quite well known that some plants of this are always reluctant flowerers even if you follow "all the correct procedures" + are best dug up + replaced.

I'd give your plant a bit more of a chance though + as Steve says cut back spurs to 2 or 3 buds around now + in August trim back long shoots again. Also shoots trained horizontally often flower better than those trained vertically.

Good luck!