Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls' (American wisteria)

'Amethyst Falls' wisteria is a deciduous, climbing vine. This cultivar is less aggressive than the more common Asian wisteria. Sometimes considered a dwarf wisteria, it has smaller leaves and smaller flowers than its exotic Asian relatives. Once established, can climb 18–20' tall with a spread of 10–15'. Give it full sun and moist soil with good drainage. Vines may produce flowers by the second or third year, but it can take longer. Blooms on new wood, providing a gorgeous, heavy bloom in late spring and a lighter, repeat bloom in summer. The lavender-purple flowers are lightly fragrant, borne in cascading 4–6" racemes in May. Because it blooms on new growth, it can be pruned each winter and trained to grow on arbors and trellises. Low toxicity to cats, dogs, and horses also makes it an excellent alternative for the Asian wisterias. Drought tolerant. Choose siting wisely because this plant dislikes being transplanted.

American wisteria is native primarily to moist thickets, swampy woods, pond peripheries, and stream borders from Virginia to Illinois south to Florida and Texas. 'Amethyst Falls' attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Larval host to marine blue, zaruco duskywing, and skippers. Deer resistant.