• Common name : Chinese Wisteria
• Scientific name : Wisteria sinensis
• Family : Fabaceae
• Native land : China
Chinese wisteria is a deciduous perennial climbing vine. It grows up to 25 feet. It has racemes of mildly fragrant, pea‑like, blue-violet flowers in May when the foliage is just beginning to expand. The flowers give way to pendant, velvety, bean-like seed pods which ripen in autumn and may persist into winter. The leaves are compound, odd-pinnate, and deep green. Over time, the stems of this vine become twisted, trunk-like and are massive. All parts of the plant contain a glycoside called ‘wisterin’ which is toxic, if ingested, and may cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhoea.