When should you prune wisteria? And how?

Wisteria is one of the most beautiful flowering vines. In addition to its characteristic (often twisted) stem and lovely, delicate foliage, there’s, of course, its spectacular bloom! In April and May, wisteria is covered with graceful, large, and long clusters of flowers that also have a wonderful fragrance! A frequently asked question, however, is: How should you prune wisteria? And when?

To prevent your wisteria from becoming a tangled mess of branches, growing much too large, and blooming less and less, you need to prune it twice a year.

P.S.: By the way, it's "blauweregen," not "blauwe regen" 😀

When should you prune wisteria?

Summer pruning takes place in July and August. Winter pruning is best done in January or February. Wisteria blooms on old wood. By pruning the shoots properly, the wisteria will continue to bloom profusely every year.

How do you prune wisteria?

How should you prune wisteria in the winter?

In January/February, prune all the side branches back to about 10–15 cm from the main branch, leaving about 2–3 (flower) buds.

If the wisteria gets too big for your garden, you can also prune the main branch back to the desired point.

If the wisteria hasn't yet taken the desired shape, now is also the time to give it a good shape. Select a few sturdy shoots on both the left and right sides of the trunk or the main upward-growing branch, and tie them horizontally to create a nice framework.

To prevent damage, do not prune during a frost.

How should you prune wisteria in the summer?

In July/August, prune back the long (thin) shoots that have formed after flowering. Do this to about 50–60 cm from the main branch.

Pruning wisteria is easy

Pruning wisteria is actually quite easy. Prevent the plant from growing too quickly, or you’ll end up with almost no blooms. Prune wisteria twice a year to ensure a beautiful, profusely flowering plant. This applies to both common wisteria species: Wisteria sinensis and Wisteria floribunda.

Of course, this advice also applies if your wisteria is white or pink… 😉