Wisteria 'Double Dragon'

[PaulC]

Hi MattA,

All things said, just an aside...............

Am I wrong, but dosent Wistiria flower on OLD growth ?

So all the re-training, may not gain flowers.....as yet, depending if you keep or can sustain any older growth.

If I am wrong, ..........I am wrong !!

I am certain I will be corrected if I am.

Regards,


Paul.

[MattA]

Hey Paul,

Your not wrong....Wisteria flower from the first few buds of last seasons growth..

If I was to prune heavily over winter I may remove buds but styling (bending etc) wont have any impact on them. The other thing that heavily influences flowering is sunlight... This vine grew in shade for many years & never flowered (part of why mum finally let me dig it out).

I am not overly bothered if it flowers or not, but it would be nice to see them for the first time in many years. It will be another 10-20yrs before this baby is really show ready & by then I hope it is flowering regularly...

Matt

[MattA]

Well I didn't have to wait long...I was giving this tree its 3rd prune so far this season when I parted some leaves to find ....

100_3564rz.jpg

Its been removed along with all the new growth back to the 1st or 2nd leaf depending on internode & location on the tree.

100_3563rz.jpg

Matt

[MattA]

With the help of a mate we had this dug, bent, worked the roots over and had it back in the ground in under 30mins

100_4968rz.jpg

We managed to get a little bit of movement into the lower trunk, more bending will be done around mid summer once its got its roots down & solid again.

bend.jpg

This chunk was cut from the bottom of the roots to start training them for a pot, being a good 10+cm in dia I will clean it up & plant with some of the root exposed for a new tree in no time

roots.jpg

[Guy]

I would be very tempted to turn it into two trees

[MattA]

I would be very tempted to turn it into two trees

Your not the first to suggest it, I have in mind a big tree & 20yrs into growing it this hasnt changed. I have a tight chuhin one in the growing stages as well, another couple of years might see it ready for a pot.

[Rintar]

It really is beautiful Matt mate.


Jas

[MattA]

After 2 years of proper pruning....

100_5143rz.jpg

More pics when they open

[Hackimoto]

Well I didn't have to wait long...I was giving this tree its 3rd prune so far this season when I parted some leaves to find ....

100_3564rz.jpg

Its been removed along with all the new growth back to the 1st or 2nd leaf depending on internode & location on the tree.

100_3563rz.jpg

Matt

What has happened there Matt is you have forced next years dormant buds into growth by pruning in late spring and summer. It is a good indication that you will get great flowering the next year as your current pic indicates. Looking forward to seeing it in all its glory.

[bodhidharma]

I am looking forward to it also Matt. They are out a lot earlier than mine this year. I think i will have a bumper flowering year this year too

[MattA]

Hack,
Your spot on, however, if you do not prune in late spring & summer, those buds do not become flower buds the following year. Only with constant pruning thruout the growing season is flowering induced to its fullest.

Bodhi,
Its a little behind the sinensis but that is also earlier this year than usual.

[MattA]

I removed most of the buds last week but left these 3 to mature, the colour is alot darker than I remember

100_5285rz.jpg

[Hackimoto]

Nice Matt. Can I ask why you remove the buds?

[MattA]

Hack, it gets growing quicker with the flowers removed... these 3 have taken time to develop the buds fully and thus havent really started to grow yet, while the other parts are already pushing runners. It has more than a few years growing ahead of it so I will probably not let it flower again for a while.

[Hackimoto]

Thanks Matt, With all respect I can't see the point in that, as it probably only sets it back for a couple of weeks and then it has another six months to grow like the clappers, which they do. I prefer to enjoy all the flowers then let them do their thing.