Wisteria

[Paulpash]

I just wanted to share a few pics of this Chinese Wisteria which is really beautiful. This is my first year with this tree so I am really enjoying it. It was given to me by a very knowledgeable and good bonsai friend called Don. It's a shame I can't post the perfume this thing gives off at night - very fragrant. It deserves a nicer pot - it looks good as both a cascade and semi cascade - any pot suggestions welcomed

Deadwood
IMG_20180508_181534_DRO by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180508_180956_DRO by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180508_180935_DRO by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180508_180838_DRO by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180430_181010_DRO by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

 

[Cadillactaste]

WOWZER ! LOVE IT!!!

 

[rockm]

Nice wisteria. From the looks of the nice trunk, it has been in a bonsai pot for some time after it was initially collected from the ground.

The scars and deadwood on the trunk are from dieback that often happens in thee three or four years after a bigger vine is dug up.

However, ten years down the road, if too much of the trunk hasn't died off, wisteria will begin catching up to that die back with scar tissue. Keep an eye on the deadwood. It is not all that stable and rots easily.

 

[Paulpash]

Nice wisteria. From the looks of the nice trunk, it has been in a bonsai pot for some time after it was initially collected from the ground.

The scars and deadwood on the trunk are from dieback that often happens in thee three or four years after a bigger vine is dug up.

However, ten years down the road, if too much of the trunk hasn't died off, wisteria will begin catching up to that die back with scar tissue. Keep an eye on the deadwood. It is not all that stable and rots easily.

I treated it this Spring with wood hardener and I'm pleased with the result -it hasn't given the deadwood a glossy sheen. I did my other (japanese) Wisteria at the same time. Thanks for the heads up though @rockm

 

[rockm]

I treated it this Spring with wood hardener and I'm pleased with the result -it hasn't given the deadwood a glossy sheen. I did my other (japanese) Wisteria at the same time. Thanks for the heads up though @rockm

In my experience, wood hardener is iffy at best in the long run, especially with dead wood on vines such as wisteria, bittersweet, climbing rose, and others. Their wood is extremely soft and prone to rot. Hardener typically doesn't penetrate to any real, meaningful depth in the wood. Water invariably makes it way into the wood from behind or around the hardened areas. This can mean that over time, although the surface wood you can see looks solid, the wood behind it a half inch to an inch back can be rotting away. The result is one day you have a shell of plasticized wood and a rotten core that can cause problems.

Not saying that's happening now, but it's something to keep in mind. I've had it happen on wisteria and a big collected rose. The rose was a particular disappointment as it had a 9 inch diameter trunk and bloomed regularly...

 

[BobbyLane]

I treated it this Spring with wood hardener and I'm pleased with the result -it hasn't given the deadwood a glossy sheen. I did my other (japanese) Wisteria at the same time. Thanks for the heads up though @rockm

the ronseal stuff?

 

[taylor schaffner]

i have a wisteria also however the thing will not flower praying over it again this year their are some thin looking vins that don't look like the thicker ones with leaves are they the flowers??? or just more leaves i don't see hardly any leaves on yours minds is beautiful in the cascade of leaves but i would like to get some damn flowers also put it in the ground since they sent me so many pieces no flowers there either help

 

[JosephCooper]

You can actually cut the blooms shorter and next year they will be more compact

 

[TomB]

Wonderful tree Paul. A nice medium-height semi cascade pot would really lift it and give the flowers space. I'd think about something in a dark green glaze, with some texture to the surface. Something like a slightly taller version of this pot by Pravoslav Dorda is the kind of thing I'd visualise it in http://keramikadorda.cz/bonsai-misky-kulate.php?lang=en#BK00251 - look at pot number BK00251

 

[Paulpash]

the ronseal stuff?

Yes I use Ronseal, Bobby.

 

[Paulpash]

Wonderful tree Paul. A nice medium-height semi cascade pot would really lift it and give the flowers space. I'd think about something in a dark green glaze, with some texture to the surface. Something like a slightly taller version of this pot by Pravoslav Dorda is the kind of thing I'd visualise it in http://keramikadorda.cz/bonsai-misky-kulate.php?lang=en#BK00251 - look at pot number BK00251

Cheers, Tom. I've got a few Dorda pots - they're very good quality.

 

[Hyn Patty]

I love it! A very nice gift from your friend! Thank you for sharing this with us. Mine is blooming very nicely right now as well though it's an American species. Yours is beautiful.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

In my experience, wood hardener is iffy at best in the long run, especially with dead wood on vines such as wisteria, bittersweet, climbing rose, and others. Their wood is extremely soft and prone to rot. Hardener typically doesn't penetrate to any real, meaningful depth in the wood. Water invariably makes it way into the wood from behind or around the hardened areas. This can mean that over time, although the surface wood you can see looks solid, the wood behind it a half inch to an inch back can be rotting away. The result is one day you have a shell of plasticized wood and a rotten core that can cause problems.

Not saying that's happening now, but it's something to keep in mind. I've had it happen on wisteria and a big collected rose. The rose was a particular disappointment as it had a 9 inch diameter trunk and bloomed regularly...

This reminds me of laboratory procedures about fixating plant material. We used ethanol in steps, to remove water first, and then replace the ethanol with a fixating agent.
Let's say wood hardener is dissolved in acetone, it might be wise to soak the wood in acetone first, and then apply wood hardener. The acetone will have penetrated much deeper in the wood and could "carry" the hardener to greater depths due to concentration gradient differences and the overall presence of a solvent. Hardening off could take longer, but if it's preservation one wants, that'd be the best approach in my view.

I'm having a go with wisteria too! This one looks nice. Thanks for the inspiration.