Wisteria

Another sign of spring is the flowering wisteria. It's a hardy, prolific vine that's easy to spot, since it often climbs trees or other structures. As it grows and becomes heavy, it may even damage its support. Some consider it invasive, because it can eventually choke out other plants. 

A relative of the pea plant, the wisteria is native to the Eastern United States and parts of Asia. The best way to  propagate it is by cuttings. If grown from seeds, it may take decades for the vine to get any size and bloom. Like many other plants in the pea family, wisteria puts nitrogen back into the soil. 

There are about ten different varieties of wisteria. The Kentucky wisteria blooms in only a few years, while the Chinese wisteria takes about 20 years. In China, some of the plants have been known to live for as long as 250 years.

The flowers of some kinds are edible, and some are used to make wine. Consumers need to know what they're doing, however, because there are toxic varieties. The plant can also be used as a natural dye and usually yields a pretty green color.

Spotting a trailing wisteria in the spring lifts my spirit. Not only are the bright lavender blooms a welcome sight after drab winter colors, but the fragrance also smells sweet. It seems to shout, "Spring has arrived!"

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