Wisteria Propagation Methods

Wisteria propagation occurs through four methods: seeds, cuttings, grafts or layering. Of the three methods, seed propagation takes the longest.

Propagating Wisteria from Seeds

Harvest wisteria seeds in the fall just before they’re ready to pop. If they are to be planted immediately, either soak the seeds overnight or nick them to allow moisture to penetrate. If planting later, store seeds in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Plant them in 1-inch deep holes in potting soil, water and keep moist. Wisteria seeds should germinate in about 2 weeks. 

When propagating seeds from wisteria, keep in mind that the resulting plants will likely not resemble the parent plant much, if at all. In addition, be prepared to wait 7 to 15 years or more for wisteria grown from seeds to bloom, depending on variety. While the lengthy timeframe from seed planting to bloom may seem incredibly long, consider the fact that this is the least expensive way to propagate wisteria. Many home gardeners say they love the surprise of discovery and thoroughly enjoy the process.

Wisteria from Cuttings

Take cuttings from soft wisteria stems in late summer. Dip them in rooting hormone such as Rootone and place them in peat moss, sand or vermiculite – or a mixture of the three. Be sure to keep the planting medium moist. When the cuttings show signs of new growth it means that roots are developing. Expect wisteria grown from cuttings to bloom in about 2 to 3 years, depending on variety.

Grafting Wisteria

Generally done by commercial concerns, propagating wisteria by this method involves grafting cultivars onto seedling rootstocks. If buying a grafted wisteria from a nursery, check to ensure a healthy graft union has taken place. There should be a clear “join” about 6 to 12 inches above soil level.

Some garden bloggers mention grafting a wisteria around a tree trunk, but this is not true grafting. It’s simply training the wisteria vine around a tree. While the tree acts as a support for the vigorously growing wisteria vine, eventually the vine may kill the tree.

Layering Method

Since wisteria is a vigorously growing vine, often one of the simplest methods is to look for the runners that extend along the ground of a 1-year-old stem. Where one has been soil bruised, leave the shoot tip above the soil line and cover the rest. It will begin to take root, but the time required will likely be up to a year. Then, sever the section and replant it in another spot. Garden aficionados recommend planting several of these, however, in order to wind up with at least one that will “take.”

Fun garden blogs mention plopping some soil over one of these runners and laying a brick on top of it. After a while, a new plant emerges. At any rate, making use of what’s in the garden already, whether that’s seeds you harvest, planting cuttings or burying a runner, propagating wisteria can be a fun and rewarding experience.