Why Is My Wisteria Plant Not Blooming?

Aug 7, 2024

If you do not know how long wisteria blooms or why your isn’t wisteria blooming, welcome to this blog! Your wisteria may be affected by some factors that influence its growth and blooming. Earlier, we all believed that wisteria was a stunning climbing plant known for its fragrant blooms. But like mine, many gardeners are frustrated when their wisteria refuses to bloom.

Especially my friend Richard knew how to grow wisteria in multiple ways through a lot of study, yet he failed to make his ones bloom. So before this concern raises panic among our fellow gardeners, we would like to provide the solutions. When you know the reasons beyond not blooming, you can sort out how to get wisteria to bloom faster. So, without any more ado, let’s head to the observation.

Why Isn’t My Wisteria Blooming?

Britannica listed about ten of the wisteria species in their guide; if one of them were meant to become immature, all of them would have been immature. So, it is not a genetic issue; but an external issue. We discovered several factors that can contribute to the lack of blooms on a wisteria plant. If you know these reasons, you can go towards encouraging your plant to flower.

We have inspected that people using different wisteria species shared the common problem of not blooming. In April 2024, a Reddit thread about the wisteria blooming problem was shared by a user. It was a matter of concern that he could not grow his wisteria in 3 years! However, passionate gardeners and plantation experts shared when wisteria flowers bloom on this matter without hesitation. We even got comments that described wisteria might get 7 years to bloom at minimum.

The Factors that Affect Wisteria Not Bloom

Does wisteria bloom every year? No. Although seemingly unbelievable, it’s quite true that the age of the plant, pruning regularity, sunlight, shade, air nutrition, and soil conditions play important roles in the growth and blooming of wisteria. All these stress factors occur due to the gardener’s habit and geographic condition.

Age of the Plant

Wisteria plants can take several years to mature and start blooming. It’s not uncommon for a wisteria to take five to seven years, or even longer, to produce flowers. If you ask us how long the wisteria may take to flower, we would say the waiting period could be up to 20 years! Quite dramatic, but it’s the reality.

Improper Pruning

Pruning is crucial for wisteria plants. Over-pruning or improper timing can remove flower buds, preventing the plant from blooming. Proper pruning may take place in January-February or July-August. If you over-prune, the branches and vines may lack the nutrition needed for their maturity.

Insufficient Sunlight

Wisteria requires full sun to bloom. If your plant is in a shaded area, it may not get the necessary sunlight to produce flowers. If you cannot plant on the rooftop, you better use a pergola to have sunlight. The average wisteria plants need an average of six hours of direct sunlight per day to stay healthy.

Poor Soil Conditions

Wisteria prefers well-drained, fertile soil. Poor soil conditions can hinder its growth and blooming potential. You must make your soil deep, fertile, and moist for the best result. The soil’s pH standard should be 6.0 to 7.0. Otherwise, it will be counted as poor soil conditions.

Excessive Nitrogen

Too much nitrogen, often from over-fertilization, can promote leafy growth at the expense of flowers. Primarily no wisteria needs additional nitrogen as they have nitrogen-fixing capabilities. Instead of nitrogen, phosphorus is comparatively more effective for wisteria plants.

Stress Factors

Environmental stressors such as drought, extreme temperatures, or transplant shock can affect the blooming of wisteria. These are described as stress factors. The stresses can occur all of a sudden due to climate change, or it can happen on a regular basis in a particular area.

What Types of Wisteria Do Not Bloom?

Most wisteria varieties can bloom given the right conditions, but some may be more challenging than others. For example, Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) and Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) are typically reliable bloomers. Still, their hybrids or less common species might have more specific requirements or longer juvenile periods.

When Does Wisteria Bloom?

Wisteria typically blooms in late spring to early summer, around May or June. In this period, the climbing shrubs spread scented flowers. The exact timing can vary based on the climate and specific variety of the plant. It is commonly seen that May or June is the perfect time for annual blooming. Furthermore, Japanese wisteria may have a secondary bloom after summer for their overgrowing qualities. But most wisteria varieties bloom in their specific season.

How to Get Wisteria to Bloom?

“where there is a will, there is a way.”

As an experienced gardener, I can confirm you can manipulate the wisteria’s growth and bloom with some extra care and preparation. But it is only possible when you have a long time passion. Once the wisteria blooms by taking all the steps, then you don’t have to worry anymore. The flowers will be overwhelming in the seasons and bring beauty to your home compound.

The Steps to Make Wisteria Bloom Faster

Patience and Time: If your wisteria is young, give it time to mature. Ensure you’re providing optimal care to support its growth. Put it in a shiny place to adjust to outside conditions. The sunlight is something that can awaken their maturity even faster than any type of fertilizer.
Proper Pruning: In late winter and again in summer, pruning your wisteria on pergola could encourage blooming. Focus on removing excessive growth while preserving flower buds. But removing the flower buds will decrease the possibility of blooming in dry conditions.
Increase Sunlight Exposure: Plant in a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. If your garden in set in the backyard where you cannot get sun, you better relocate the wisteria to save the time and effort of all those years.
Improve Soil Conditions: Test your soil and amend it if necessary to provide well-drained, fertile conditions. Adding compost can enhance soil quality. To produce good soil, you can mix dehydrated cow manure or create vegetable compost.
Manage Fertilization: Use a balanced fertilizer with low nitrogen levels to avoid promoting excessive leaf growth. Phosphorus-rich fertilizers can help with blooming. But do not use nitrogen-based fertilizer as wisteria can manage its own nitrogen.
Reduce Stress: Protect your wisteria from environmental stressors. Provide adequate water during dry periods and mulch to maintain soil moisture. Prepare the soil even before the dry season affects your area.

Conclusion

So, that was my thought on why your wisteria is not blooming. Getting a wisteria plant to bloom can be challenging work. But when you know the factors that affect blooming, we hope you can take appropriate measures. Keeping the patience and proper care, your wisteria will eventually reward you with a spectacular display of blooms. If you are finding anything else, like solutions to wisteria turning yellow, read our previous blogs. That’s all for now!

“Happy gardening!”

FAQs

Does Wisteria bloom on old or new wood?

Usually, wisteria blooms on old wood, which means the flower buds form on growth from the previous year. You can prune wisteria in late winter to remove any unwanted growth and again in summer to trim back long shoots. If you avoid heavy pruning that removes these crucial buds, you can prevent the wisteria from blooming.

Does wisteria bloom every year?

Wisteria typically blooms once a year in proper care and growing conditions. Young wisteria plants may take several years (7 to 20 years) to mature before they start blooming regularly. Factors such as improper pruning, excessive nitrogen fertilization, insufficient sunlight, or environmental stress can disrupt the blooming cycle.

Does wisteria bloom all summer?

Wisteria does not bloom all summer. It usually has a main blooming period in late spring to early summer, around May or June, depending on the climate and variety. Some types of Japanese wisteria may have a secondary bloom later in the summer for their extra growth gene. But most wisteria varieties are known for their certain flowering season rather than continuous summer blooms.