Wisteria that will not flower

[julia-mag]

I have a pink wisteria that I bought from B & Q 8 years ago which grows without any problems and I have trained it to shape and to keep it under control but, and it is a big but, it just refuses to flower. Can anyone offer me a solution to the problem? Each year I keep saying if it does not flower this year I will throw it out.,but it is so healthy. It gets the early morning sun and does not get shade till the afternoon.

[Mr Veritas]

Hello there,
Wisteria's are not normally bothersome plants,but it does depend on just when you prune it (if you do).
Have a look at the Royal Horticultural Societys webpage on Wisteria,here:~
http://apps.rhs.org.u.../Profile.aspx?pid=242
Scroll down to problems.

[julia-mag]

Thank you Mr Veritas, It would seem I have been doing the right pruning but there is no certainty that what I bought is not a seedling plant that apparantly might take 20 yrs
to flower! That means I will not be around to see it! I wish the nurseries were made to state that plants will not bloom for x number of years after planting. I would have looked for the right type.

[tamborine]

plants usually flower when starved of water.....that's their survival method to throw seeds & perpetuate.

[julia-mag]

Thank you tamborine , lets hope my plant takes note, for last year I am afraid my front garden had to fend for itself regards water as the runner beans in the back garden were the only plants we lavished water on (from 2 water butts),whilst the weather wasn't that sunny in Devon we did not get a lot of rain. Here's hoping anyway, I will reprieve it for just one more year!

[tamborine]

Ssssh........Wisteria's are protected - you're not allowed to destroy them!

[carlton23]

Give it to me.....give it to me!!!!

[Prudie]

Feed it a rice-pudding (dig in round the roots). My mum had a wisteria that wouldn't flower like yours, heard this old wives tale from somewhere, tried it and it flowered every year from then on.

[julia-mag]

Thank you prudie for your solution, it should bloom to cover its blushes at my rice pudding.(they usually burn). I am certainly unaware that I am not allowed to remove it permanently , cor wot a swizz! I think its roots must be down in australia by now!

[Jemisa]

....but Wisteria trees are lovely anyway, with or without flowers, all that lovely folage awww! don't cut it down. Any way talking in front of it about killing it it probably heard you and will flower a treat this year. Let us know julia.

Aunty Jem.

[julia-mag]

hello Aunty Jemm, I agree completely with the beauty of the foilage and in the meantime I run a clematis and passion flower through it so that it is not totally void of colour, but I was so captivated by the picture of long pink racames when I bought it that it never occurred to me that it would not bloom for 'donkeys' years I will post details if it finally shows remorse and blossoms!!!!

[julia-mag]

Yes its true, threaten to cut it down and what has it done? To-day I discovered three 6 inch long racames of flower buds......... Yipee, can't wait for them to bloom .. So thats the answer then, shame it into flowering!!!!! Many thanks for all your interesting comments in January.