Dug Up Wisteria

[Michael_Marinelli]

Hi everyone.

I just dug up this wisteria that my neighbor didn’t want. It’s very fat for a vine, but quite ugly. It’s about 8 inches wide at the base. Any styling suggestions? Should I just throw it out?

 

[The Surfing Tree]

I wouldn’t toss it out. It’s got nice taper and large wisteria aren’t easy to come by.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

If it lives, then you can think about styling once it's in a proper pot.
I found wisteria difficult to keep alive in a small container.

They're grown as bonsai for their flowers, so when styling can be done, I'd focus on the trunk and branches where those flowers originate. My garden wisteria tends to thicken branches fast if I let it run. I don't know how I'd handle that on a bonsai scale.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Concur with styling the newer branches. Growing out takes a few years to get decent sized branch width, but its fun. In between styling your have to beat it with a stick in the mornings to keep the growth down though.

However wisteria tends to be pretty flexible, so genty see what’s possible to put some movement in the upper region. Leave off watering for the day before to help.

In this image see the “Pronghorn Wisteria“ in development.


Finally some point after a year of good growth, you might want to remove those smaller trunks to give a smoother outline.

btw: If you haven’t named this guy yet, how about Groot?

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Colorado]

I think it could be something pretty awesome. Definitely wouldn’t throw it out!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Nice find. I wouldn't worry about a design. Let it recover...

 

[Michael_Marinelli]

Thanks guys. I was able to add some movement to the top portion of the tree with enough force.
(don’t mind my crappy work)

trying to achieve something like this:

Also, should I remove the two roots on the right of the tree that hang down into the soil?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Gosh, I thought we were giving suggestions for down the line when things were growing out really good.. but….wisterias can be really tough.

Leave it alone to grow out now. It’s getting late in the year. Also It’s had a really huge shock. Three insults at the same time..cutting roots …losing all its solar panels, and twisting the trunks nutrient pathways. Normally most Bonsai folks would rather keep to one insult at a time if they can avoid it… then let it recover before the next.

Hopefully this wisteria will have enough growing season left to recover … push some leaves and get decent root growth.

So this tree needs all the roots it can get. Cutting the side struts will be adding another injury. “Groot” needs time to recover and we all want to see it flourish in the upcoming years. So please wait until fall ‘22 before doing anything else.

For now, I’d think hard how you are going to create a safe wintering over environment so it won’t be a last minute arrangement.

Best of luck!
DSD sends

 

[Zach Smith]

First of all, you will have to work hard to kill this vine. Let it grow out, don't love it too much, then next summer reassess what you have. Wisterias are resistant to training, but once you figure out what they want to do you can go with their flow and make something nice out of them. The key is to watch for rot in the main trunk, which starts in the second or third year out of the ground. If you get it, don't panic, just let it continue to grow how it wants and style it around what it gives you. When it gets rootbound, by the second or third year, it should start blooming and they are generally faithful every year after that.

 

[rockm]

Zach's advice hits the bullseye. Wisteria is very hard to kill. Working it so soon after collection is one way to do that. Older collected wisteria is unstable for a few years out of the ground. Larger trunk will have some dieback, sometimes EXTENSIVE die back for two or three years post collection. This vine is common here in Va. as it is an invasive species. I've collected a few big 6-12 inche diameter trunks. Best to allow it to grow with no intervention for at least two years to see what you're going to have left to work on. Let shoots extend and grow with no pruning for at least the first year. Keep the pot shaded and allow the top with 5-6 hours of direct sun. Stop messing around with it for now.