Wisteria
Wisteria sinensis (Chinese Wisteria)
Originally called Glycinia, after the Greek “glykys” for sweet, renowned American naturalist Thomas Nuttall renamed the wisteria in the 1800s to honor Dr. Caspar Wistar (1761 – 1818), a professor of anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania, President of the American Philosophical Society, and a personal friend of Thomas Jefferson.
Chinese wisteria is a deciduous vine growing vigorously to heights of 25’ or more, has been known to destroy other plants, trees, supports and even houses, its delicate, long racemes of mildly-fragrant, pea-like, blue-violet flowers notwithstanding. In older vines stems become twisted, massive, with the heft and girth of tree-trunks. See more »