WATCH: Why We Love Wisteria

This spring bloomer is a favorite of gardeners everywhere. They train the beloved vine up arbors, across porches, and into trees, expectantly awaiting the spring day their wisteria bursts into fragrant bloom. Wisteria is one romantic Southern vine, and we love it. Why? Let’s see…

It has style.

Wisteria is no wallflower. When you see it draped over an arbor, dripping with magnificent purple blooms fading from lavender to indigo, you’re enchanted. With just a glimpse, it can win over even the most vine-averse of garden aficionados. And when a spring breeze carries through its blooms, it’s pure Southern charm. Wisteria also comes in other pretty pastel hues, including blue, pink, and white.

It can climb.

Wisteria can grow nearly anywhere. It’s been known to reach impressive heights, but it can also grow in containers or as stand-alone trees. It does need some structure, though, so if you’re trying to train wisteria, support its growth with a strong, sturdy frame.

It’s an early bloomer.

We all know that daffodils signal the start of spring, but wisteria isn’t far behind. It reminds us that crisp blue skies and warmer weather are on the way. The winding woody vines burst into bloom, riotous with the sensations of spring.

It smells divine.

There’s a reason perfumers turn to the natural world for inspiration. However, nothing bottled can quite live up to a whiff of a cluster of wisteria blooms. The next time you see blooming wisteria, stop and enjoy the sweet scent. It’s fleeting, but during its spring bloom, it’s the most beautiful, and beautiful-smelling, plant in the garden.

It’s a hardy grower.

Wisteria can withstand the surprise frosts that threaten other plants in the garden. It’s also resistant to garden pests, like deer. Wisteria is drought tolerant, and it handily stands up to inclement weather. (Just be sure to prune this hardy vine—it’s a rambler.)