Wisteria floribunda Shiro-noda

The Wisteria floribunda 'Shiro-noda' is a wonderful white Japanese wisteria sometimes marketed under the names of Wisteria brachybotrys 'Shiro-noda' or W. longissima 'Alba'. Introduced from Japan to European gardens by Von Siebold around 1860, this form with very long clusters of white flowers is quite similar to the Japanese wisteria 'Alba'. It is a vigorous, climbing vine-plant that blooms abundantly in spring, at the same time as its young leaves emerge. It is also appreciated for its autumn foliage, which is a very warm golden yellow. Cold-resistant and water-efficient, it thrives in deep, well-drained soil, preferably non-calcareous.

The Wisteria floribunda 'Shiro-noda' is a white form of Japanese wisteria, also known as Floribundus wisteria, or Wisteria floribunda in Latin. It is a large climbing plant with rapid growth belonging to the large family of Fabaceae, just like clover, alfalfa, and lupins. It is native to Japanese forests and was introduced to Europe in the mid-19th century. Its long voluble stems, which can reach 8-10 m (26-33ft) in length, lignify with age. Sometimes a bit slow to establish, it is a robust plant, perfectly cold-resistant, not very demanding in terms of soil even though it is sensitive to excessive active limestone. This wisteria can grow in poor and dry soils in summer if they are deep. Its roots are deep and running.

The 'Shiro-Noda' variety develops stems that can easily reach 9 m (29ft) in length, which naturally wrap around supports. The growth of new shoots is very rapid, several metres in a single season in cool soil. Flowering occurs after that of Chinese wisterias, in May-June, on fairly young grafted plants. It develops papilionaceous, pendulous flower clusters, 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in) long, less fragrant than those of Chinese wisteria, but well-spaced along the vegetation. They open successively, from the base to the tip of the cluster. If the soil does not dry out too much in summer, the Japanese wisteria can produce a few clusters amidst its foliage. Hanging pods follow the flowers, green at first and turning brown when ripe. The young bronze leaves then turn a light green, and later a medium green in summer. They are 20 to 30 cm (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 golden colour. Very long-lasting, the 'Shiro-noda' Wisteria can live well over 100 years. Its flowering is nectariferous and melliferous.

The Japanese wisteria 'Siro-noda', like all wisterias, is the ultimate romantic plant. A queen in the realm of climbing plants, capable of beautifying a facade or structure, no matter how modest. This lively plant often survives in old gardens left to themselves by the one who planted it. It is also particularly useful for covering a wall or hiding an unsightly fence. It wraps itself around a trellis or grille independently if allowed, and tends to smother nearby plants. To accompany it, consider powerful honeysuckles, such as Lonicera (x) delavayi, evergreen, with a fragrant yellow summer flowering, or the Banksia rose 'Alba Plena', thornless and covered in 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 after 3 years, depending on the growing conditions.