Herbs, Plants, Trees and Roots | August, 2012

You entered Wistaria, the more common name is...

We were unable to find any record for medicinal uses pertaining to American Wisteria.  However, a handful of fresh flowers in a tossed salad make a beautiful presentation since the lovely blooms are said to be edible.

Wisteria

SCIENTIFIC NAME:
(Wisteria frutescens)


Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae that includes ten species of woody climbing vines native to the Eastern United States (Wisteria frutescens) and to China (Wisteria sinensis), and Japan (Wisteria floribunda). American Wisteria is a woody, deciduous, perennial climbing vine that is native to the wet forests and stream banks of the southeastern United States, with a range stretching from the states of Virginia to Texas (Northeast Texas Piney Woods) and extending southeast through Florida.

American Wisteria can grow up to 49 feet (15m) long over many supports via powerful clockwise-twining stems. It produces dense clusters of blue-purple, two-lipped, 2cm wide flowers on racemes 5 to 15 cm long in late spring to early summer. These are the smallest racemes produced by any member of the Wisteria family. The foliage consists of shiny, dark-green, pinnately compound leaves 10–30 cm in length. The leaves bear 9 to 15 oblong leaflets that are each 2 to 6 cm long. It also bears numerous poisonous, brown, bean-like seed pods 5 to 10 cm long that mature in summer and persist until winter. American Wisteria is very similar to Kentucky Wisteria (Wisteria macrostachya) which has been considered a variety of W. frutescens but grows somewhat differently.



Common Names:

American Wisteria, Wysteria, Wistaria,


Wisteria

Uses:

We were unable to find any record for medicinal uses pertaining to American Wisteria. However, a handful of fresh flowers in a tossed salad make a beautiful presentation since the lovely blooms are said to be edible.



Applications:

Eating:
Just a handful added to a tossed salad looks great and adds its delicate flavor.


Warnings:

With any herb, there is the risk of an allergic reaction. Small children and pregnant women should use additional caution when considering the use of herbal remedies.