Wisteria floribunda Ed's Blue Dragon

The Wisteria floribunda Ed's Blue Dragon (also known as Ed's Blue) is a variety of Japanese wisteria that stands out for its magnificent double flowers, with a touch of blue and mauve, delicately scented. Its flower clusters appear in abundance in late spring and early summer. This variety is also known for its fast growth and beautiful autumn foliage. Its long twining stems twist clockwise around their support, unlike those of its Chinese cousin. Wisterias are vigorous and robust climbing plants that transform grids, fences, pergolas, and arbours in spring.

The Japanese wisteria, known as Wisteria floribunda in Latin, is a fast-growing climbing plant belonging to the large Fabaceae family, just like clover, alfalfa, and lupins. It is native to Japanese forests and was introduced to Europe in the mid-19th century. Its long twining stems lignify with age. Sometimes a bit slow to establish, it is a robust plant, resistant to cold, not very demanding in terms of soil (although it dislikes excessive limestone), and capable of growing in poor and dry soils in summer if they are deep. Its roots are deep and trailing.

Wisteria 'Ed's Blue Dragon' develops stems that can easily reach 10 metres (33 feet) in length and spontaneously wrap around supports. The growth of new shoots is very fast, reaching several metres in a season in moist soil. Flowering occurs after that of Chinese wisterias, in May-June, on fairly young grafted plants. It develops on already leafy branches located not far from the main lignified stems. It takes the form of pendulous double butterfly-like flower clusters, measuring 25 to 30cm (10 to 12in) long, less fragrant than those of Chinese wisteria, but well spread out on the vegetation. They open successively, from the base to the tip of the cluster. The pale blue petals are brushed with violet on the edges. After the flowers, pendulous pods appear, which are green and become brown when ripe. The young bronze-coloured leaves appear before flowering and then turn a light green colour. They are 20 to 30cm (8 to 12in) long and divided into 13 to 19 ovate leaflets, giving the foliage a light appearance. Before falling in autumn, the leaves take on a beautiful yellowish-ochre colour, bright and warm. Very long-lasting, the Japanese wisteria can live well over 50 years. Its flowering is nectar-rich.

Ed's Blue Dragon Japanese wisteria is the epitome of a romantic plant. A queen in the kingdom of climbing plants, capable of beautifying a facade or structure, no matter how modest. This lively plant often survives in neglected old gardens, passed down from the person who planted it. It is also particularly useful for covering a wall or an unsightly fence. It will wrap around a fence or trellis without restraint if left to its own devices and will tend to suffocate nearby plants. It prefers a solitary location, in full sun or partial shade in warm climates. Or associate it with honeysuckles, such as Lonicera x delavayi, evergreen and with fragrant yellow summer flowering, or with Banks' rose 'Alba Plena', thornless and covered with small white pompoms in May. The floribunda wisteria also gets along very well with Clematis montana.

However, be patient: the first flowering of the wisteria may not appear until 2 to 3 years, depending on the growing conditions.