Wisteria brachybotrys 'Shiro-Beni' - Glycine soyeuse Shiro-Beni, Glycine japonaise Shiro-Beni

The Wisteria brachybotrys ‘Shiro-Beni’, or Silky Wisteria ‘Shiro-Beni’, is distinguished by its short clusters of very fragrant pale pink flowers in late spring. More compact than the large Japanese and Chinese wisterias, it is better suited to small gardens. It is trained to climb over pergolas, arches, or large pillars. This variety can be grown in a large container if pruned regularly. Its late flowering extends the wisteria season in the garden.

Belonging to the Fabaceae family, this ‘Shiro-Beni’ cultivar belongs to the species Wisteria brachybotrys (synonymous with Wisteria venusta in the broad sense), a deciduous liana native to Japan; its species name, from Greek, brachybotrys means "short clusters".
‘Shiro-Beni’ is a horticultural selection of Japanese origin. Compared to the type, it is characterised by shorter clusters, a soft pink hue, and a well-pronounced fragrance. It is a voluble plant, which stems twine in an anticlockwise direction. Its growth is rapid in the first years; in open ground, it climbs to 5–6 m and spreads to 3–4 m; you can expect 4–5 m by the age of 10 years in favourable conditions. The inflorescences are pendulous clusters or racemes measuring 10 to 14 cm long and 7 to 10 cm wide. The dark pink buds open into papilionaceous flowers of pale pink with a yellow eye, very fragrant, especially in the evening. Almost all the flowers open at the same time on the cluster. Flowering occurs from late May to June, with a slight secondary flush sometimes occurring in late summer depending on the climate. Fruiting produces velvety pods of 15–18 cm that ripen in autumn and may persist into winter; the seeds are toxic if ingested.
The leaves, 20–35 cm long, composed of 9 to 13 ovate to lanceolate leaflets, are downy on both sides when young; the lamina, of a bright green, turns yellow in autumn before falling. The young stems are silky, the bark becomes grey-brown with age. The root system is powerful and running, capable of exploring deeply and laterally; suckers may develop from the stump; avoid planting the wisteria near pipes and fragile masonry. The hardiness of this variety reaches −20°C; it requires a cool but well-drained soil, tolerates some drought once established, and flowers better in the sun.

Install the Wisteria ‘Shiro-Beni’ on a sturdy pergola, railing, or a strong wall cable, sheltered from prevailing winds. In a medium-sized garden, pair its clusters of soft pink flowers with white or purple blooms: Wisteria venusta with white flowers, the wisteria 'Honbeni' (or 'Rosea') for a deeper pink, a Clematis viticella ‘Etoile Violette’ or a climbing rose 'The Generous Gardener' to spread out the flowering season. In a large container, provide it with a robust structure and prune it fairly hard.