Wisteria floribunda ‘Multijuga’

Description

If you have ever seen Wisteria floribunda ‘Multijuga’ in full flower, you will understand immediately why it stops people in their tracks. The flower racemes on this extraordinary Japanese Wisteria can reach up to a metre in length — sometimes more — cascading downward in long, sweeping curtains of soft lilac-blue that are unlike anything else you can grow in a temperate garden. It is one of those plants that genuinely has to be seen to be believed.

Where other Wisterias impress, ‘Multijuga’ astonishes. Given a large pergola, a generous arch, or a long run of sunny wall, the effect in late spring is theatrical on a scale that very few plants can match — the long flower trails moving gently in a warm breeze, the soft fragrance drifting across the garden, the whole structure transformed for those precious weeks in May and June.

This is a plant for the long term. It grows vigorously, it needs strong support, and it rewards every year of patient, consistent pruning with a display that only deepens in generosity as the years pass.

Quick Facts

– Plant type:  Deciduous climbing shrub
–  Flowers:  Soft lilac-blue, exceptionally long hanging racemes — up to 1m or more in length — lightly and sweetly fragrant
–   Position:  Full sun for the best and longest flowering display
–   Soil:  Moist, well-drained, moderately fertile
–   Hardiness:  Fully hardy
–   Eventual size:  10m+ with support — manageable with regular pruning
–   Support needed:  Large, robust pergola, sturdy arch, or strong wall wires — this is a vigorous plant that becomes substantial with age
–  Best for:  Large pergolas, long sunny walls, substantial arches, and any space where the extraordinary flower length can hang and be fully appreciated

Caragh Garden Notebook

‘Multijuga’ is the Japanese Wisteria that holds the record for the longest flower racemes of any hardy climber — and in the right setting, those extraordinary trailing flowers are one of the most memorable sights a garden can offer. The stems twine clockwise as they climb, which is the opposite direction to Chinese Wisteria, so bear this in mind when training it onto its support in the early years.

The flowers open progressively along the length of each raceme from the base downward, which means the display unfolds gradually over several weeks rather than all at once — extending the season of interest and making the most of every warm day in late spring and early summer.

To get the very best from the flower length, give the plant height. The longer the racemes can hang freely without obstruction, the more spectacular the effect — a high pergola or a tall wall where the trails can drop unimpeded is where ‘Multijuga’ truly comes into its own.

Caragh tip — the one that matters:  The same twice-yearly pruning that applies to all Wisterias applies here — summer cut back to five or six leaves, winter cut back to two or three buds. With ‘Multijuga’ the discipline of regular pruning is especially important; the vigour of this plant means unchecked growth quickly becomes unmanageable, but a well-pruned specimen channelling its energy into flowering spurs rather than leafy extension is one of the most rewarding plants in the garden.