States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaFloridaVirginia
Menu

Chinese Wisteria

Wisteria sinensis

Commonly cultivated, escaped to a wide diversity of urban, suburban, and rural forests and woodlands. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

-85
Severe harm

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
10–25 feet
Spread
4–30 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Usually moist
See native alternatives

Do not plant. Listed invasive in Virginia.

Plant this instead

Choose your county to list local plants first.

  • Maypops
    Passiflora incarnata

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Blue, pink, purple or white.

    Published recommendation: South Carolina Native Plant Society, Lowcountry Chapter

  • Wild Potato-vine
    Ipomoea pandurata

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Purple, red or white.

    Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

    Different: spread

  • Summer Grape
    Vitis aestivalis

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow or green.

    Similar growth form, evergreen or deciduous, light

    Different: spread

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
April to July
Fruiting season
July to November

Recorded in 47 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 128 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

20CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Wisteria

  • Epargyreus clarusSilver-spotted Skipper
  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Anticarsia gemmatalisVelvetbean Caterpillar Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Ecdytolopha insiticianaLocust Twig Borer Moth
  • Euchlaena effectaEffective Euchlaena
  • Euphydryas phaetonThe Baltimore, The Black Checker
  • Gesta horatiusHorace's Duskywing, Brown Duskywing
  • Gesta zaruccoZarucco Duskywing
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Show all 20
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Sciota subcaesiellaLocust Leafroller
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Urbanus proteusLong-Tailed Skipper, Bean Leaf Roller
  • Zale lunataLunate Zale
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Fabaceae
Hardiness
Zones 5a–8b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Blue, pink, purple or white
Fruit begins
July
Fruit ends
November

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources