I have LOVED the looks of Wisteria... what lovely flowers and how romantic it looks with the cascades of beautiful blooms.
I have never been very close to a plant, but decided it would be so nice climbing up the side entrance to my back garden, so when Aldis had them last year for a great price, I was excited and bought one.
It was only a small plant that didn't look anything like these pictures... in fact, it wasn't even growing yet, so it was just a stick in some growing medium.
I had visions of these lovely purple blooms.. and my mind moved ahead to all of the wonderful pictures I would take with this in my yard! Oh, the backdrop for pictures of my girls.... or family pictures.. or a tea party. :)
The masses of flowers appeal so much and I was so glad that I would have my own.... right here. :)
Well, that little stick sat in its box for a while and after growing a bit, it started to languish. I so wanted it to grow and thrive, so I took it out and planted it.
About that time, I decided to look up some information about the plant.. I needed to know more of how to take care of those beautiful flowers. I do lots of research, and I realized I hadn't done any yet on this plant, but had just read the label on the box from Aldis.
The more I read, the more concerned I became... and finally realized this may not be a plant I want to have after all.
It is toxic... I hadn't known that... and the label didn't say anything about it. I also found that once it starts, it twines its way over fences and frames... and trees and bushes and yards and up the house... and it can be very hard to control. I really didn't want a plant that would need constant pruning or be poisonous.
Those beautiful flowers still appeal to me, but I was SO GLAD to check on my little plant... and find it dead!
Whew.... I am so thankful it didn't take off and take over my garden... or poison children who visit... or my son's dog. I never thought I would be so glad to lose a plant... but I am.
If I had done my research before I bought the plant, I wouldn't have spent the money on it and I will be more careful to do that in the future.
I will still enjoy Wisteria... like this one that was in someone's yard.. it is so beautiful, but I am very thankful that my plant died and I won't be spending the next few years trying to keep it under control and feeling overwhelmed by the invasive nature of the plant.
Thank you for visiting my blog today... and if you have a Wisteria plant, I hope you are enjoying it and taking many photos. :) If you are thinking of getting one, you may want to do some research on it first. I hope you have a wonderful week. :)
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I love wisteria too but didn't know about the toxicity. I also got mine as a stick from a patient where I work. It doesn't bother me that it has taken over because it has attached itself to a tall, spindly pine tree and adorns it quite well. It is not near anyone or anything (other than the tree it is growing up) so I'm OK with that. Sadly, this year, it's little baby buds got frozen off and it doesn't look as though it will bloom...on time, that is. Last year, it bloomed in the fall...go figure! I also like your comparison to sin...what a great analogy...sin can looks pretty tempting at times, can't it? Thanks for posting...great information to have!
ReplyDeleteIt is such a beautiful vine and flower... that is sad that yours may have frozen and not bloom this year... I'm sure you will miss it... I would. I'm glad you have it in a place where you can enjoy it and not be overrun w/ it. Thank you for visiting and for the sweet comment... it was nice to hear from you. :)
DeleteWhat beautiful pictures! They are soothing to look at. I'm glad for you that your plant died before it could cause you trouble. I guess it just has to stay a pretty picture, right? It reminds me of morning glories. I love how beautiful they are, but they take over everything! Thanks for brightening an otherwise gray day. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you.. yes, you are right, soothing is a GREAT word for those flowers and it fits what I was thinking, but I couldn't identify the correct word. That's it... I sure appreciate their beauty.. .but I am glad they won't be in my yard. :) Thank you for visiting.
DeleteI did not know that about wisteria! Thank you for sharing that information. I have always loved and wanted one too, but I doubt - as you - that I would want the work to prune and keep up with it, unless it was in a place that didn't matter if it got out of hand. Your analogy is spot on too - isn't it wonderful how we can learn great life lessons from simple events in our lives!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is wonderful that God teaches us lessons from simple little things in life... I am so glad to share the information about Wisteria because it is good to make informed decisions on something like that... and I wasn't informed(hadn't done my research!) when I bought it. :) Thank you for visiting...
DeleteI also love the look of wisteria, but thankfully my grandmother warned me about its tendency to take over and choke out other plants. So, I just admire it from a distance!
ReplyDeleteGood for you... nice to have a grandmother who shares such wisdom... I also am going to admire it from a distance. :) Thank you for visiting.
DeleteHA ! Sounds like my trumpet vine! Oh the work and constant trimming in regards to it!!!
ReplyDeleteYes,... I have seen those "pretty trumpet vines" and I have been SO glad that I don't have any! :) I suspected they were a lot of work, and you have confirmed it for me. I don't need more things in my life that just take a lot of work. :) Thank you for visiting.
DeleteOh, I didn't know that about wisteria. My friend had some in her garden some years back and they were so lovely! I also once saw them near one of the temple grounds and again, in abundance, they were just the prettiest sight. A pity they're poisonous, though.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely... just amazingly beautiful... I, too, was so disappointed to find out about their toxicity. I do still enjoy them though... just not in my own yard. :)
DeleteI love the looks of wisteria--the color, the romantic cascading flowers, but boy can it take over! My mother-in-law's has spread all over between her house and three neighbors! A beautiful plant, but not in my small yard!
ReplyDeleteI am hearing of similar accounts like yours... and it makes me SO GLAD my plant died and didn't live to give me all of that headache! Thank you. :)
DeleteWow - those wisteria are lovely. Did they smell heavenly?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/04/french-corner-bakery.html
I didn't notice the smell.. they were in someone's yard and I stopped alongside the road, but didn't get out of the van. I wonder if they are fragrant? It seems like if they were extremely fragrant, I should have smelled them from the car (the windows were down). Hmm... I will have to pursue that. :) They sure were beautiful.
DeleteI didn't know that wisterias are toxic. That is good to know! They are so beautiful, though! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Sarah
http://sprinklesonmyicecream.blogspot.com/
I didn't either before this experience... it is sad since they are so pretty. Thank you for visiting. :)
DeleteSuch beautiful tree the wisteria, the color is perfect with our blog!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy your day!
karren
They are absolutely lovely... I love the soft, relaxed, romantic look of them. :) Thank you for visiting.
DeleteOh, my! I had no idea it is toxic! I always look forward to seeing it in the spring, because it is my favorite color. I have never really thought of having it in our yard, but so thankful you mentioned this. Praying for you. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the color of it also... but don't want such a toxic plant here... or one that will take over. Shudder... I have enough to do!!! :) Thank you for visiting... and for the prayers. :)
DeleteThank you... I would love to be where I could do more shooting of them.... lots of potential there. :)
ReplyDeleteI remember one that grew on a fence in a house we rented when I was a child. I thought it was beautiful. But it attracted bees! I couldn't get close enough to it to pick a flower. I never knew the plant was toxic. Thanks for sharing with us at Tumbleweed Contessa.
ReplyDeleteLinda
I wondered if it attracted bees and figured it would w/ all of those beautiful flowers. I really haven't seen a lot of wisteria until just recently... except in pictures. It is so lovely... just has some unpleasant personality problems. :)
DeleteOh Gentle Joy these pictures are gorgeous! I have always LOVED Wisteria. My favorite color is purple too! I have never seen one in real life though. Thanks for stopping by the #BigTopBlogParty and linking up this post! Wishing you a fabulous week!
ReplyDeleteMuch love
Lysa xx
It is such a beautiful plant... I love it... from afar. :) It seems elegant and peaceful and also dreamy and colorful. Oh, the adjectives we could use to describe it! I haven't seen many in person either... until just the last few years. Thank you for visiting.. I hope you have a great weekend. :)
DeleteWow! I had no idea it was poisonous. It is so very striking though.
ReplyDeleteI didn't either... it sure doesn't LOOK toxic. It is such a beautiful plant. :)
DeleteIt really is so beautiful.....how ironic that the Desperate Housewives lived on Wisteria Lane, right? :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought... I have never seen it, but can deduce what it was like from your comment.... and I agree. :) It is a beautiful plant... so lovely. Thank you for visiting.
DeleteIt certainly is a beautiful plant, but I can understand your desire to not have it in your garden. I appreciated how you intertwined some biblical wisdom into the post - I was greatly blessed!
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear one, for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. Hugs!
Thank you... I can really appreciate the plant's beauty, and God teaches us through all kinds of things. :) What a blessing... thank you for visiting.
DeleteThanks for sharing this info
ReplyDeleteI have always loved and admired the beauty of wisteria and would have loved to grow one but it was not possible in this colder zone.
Now I feel relieved that it can't be grown here. xo
I agree with you... I'm glad I didn't get what I wanted when I wanted to grow one of those. :) Funny how it works out that way sometimes. :)
DeleteI enjoyed your photos and the information even more!
ReplyDeleteNow I know this plant isn't for my garden as I already have several aggressive climbers (that can bring a tree to its knees).
Thank you.... I don't like to have my plants fighting with each other, so I am glad not to have one that will bring a tree to its knees!!! Sounds like a bully to me. :) What a blessing that God allowed me to find this out before I had the plant all nicely growing in our yard. :)
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI'm coming over from sweet Stephanie's blog. Oh my, I didn't know this about the wisteria. It's such a lovely plant, and I took some pictures of it one time while I was walking along my old college campus. I liked your post very much, and your pictures are wonderful. It's so nice to meet you.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
Hi... it is so nice to meet you also... thank you for venturing over to my blog. :) Thank you for your sweet comment - this was the first Wisteria I have been able to see well enough to photograph... so it was a real treat for me. :)
Deleteby the way, love all the Purple on your blog, and I noticed it right away, as Purple is my favorite color. :~)
ReplyDelete~Sheri
I sure enjoy purple also... I have a lot of favorite colors.. but purple is certainly one of them. :) I'm glad you visited.... it was nice to have you. :)
DeleteWow I never new that about Wisterias and I have tried to grow them before and they have died. Maybe a blessing. Thanks for sharing this with us at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how hard things... like wisteria plants dying... can actually be a blessing in disguise! I have seen such many times..... Thank you for visiting... have a great weekend. :)
DeleteToxic how? By breathing? Eating? That makes a difference....I like them so much I would risk it....
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is by breathing... I didn't see that mentioned, anyway... I know they said by eating... like if a dog chews on it, so I am guessing it would need to be ingested. It may also be by touching, but I am not sure... good point. If you don't have little ones and pets, it may be worth the risk... they are beautiful. :)
DeleteI loved this post! I, too, love looking at wisteria and almost bought one at our local Master Gardeners' sale. One of my MG friends asked if I did any research on it and, of course, I hadn't. He filled me in on several of the points you mentioned also than during it's growing season it can grow several inches / feet in each 24 hour period!! Holy cow! I decided it was too 'needy' of a plant for MY garden. In order to keep it from taking over, I'd have to do lots of pruning and just didn't want to commit to that. I like how you related it to sin, sometimes temptingly beautiful but in the end a constant struggle. Very nice post!!
ReplyDeleteWow.... I didn't know it could grow that fast! That makes it all the more unappealing to me as an occupant of my garden! Thank you for the comment... it has added to the post. :)
DeleteI'm so bummed there's not much wisteria in the UK! I just loooove it- makes me so happy :)
ReplyDeletexx
Mila
Hmmm..... sounds like if you really want it... it could be maybe be grown there, but it would be a shame to cover your lovely isle w/ such an aggressive plant. :) I wonder if there is a way to plant it and put some protectors on it... like with mint and other invasive plants where we can cut the end of a 1 gallon can off and plant the whole thing so that the roots can only go so far? Hmm.... I don't know if that would slow it down or not... I agree that it is a beautiful plant. :)
DeleteIt is grown by some gardeners here. I usually see the yellow one :)
DeleteThat's a real bummer that the most beautiful ones are often poisonous and aggressive.
I don't have a garden anymore, so I'll admire other people's' garden arrangements from this year onward :)
Hugs,
Mila
I haven't seen a yellow one... that sounds beautiful also, but I think the purple would still be my favorite. I will also admire these in other people's gardens and not my own. :) It is too bad that such a beautiful plant has such unpleasant characteristics!
DeleteWow!! I did know that wisterias were poisonous. It grows wild in the area that I live. They are so gorgeous. I cut some and brought them in my house last year. You can pretty much be driving and see them everywhere. Your photos are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWe don't see them here except where they are deliberately planted... that sounds beautiful to see them everywhere and growing wild... except that I wouldn't like the "taking over" factor of it. :) Glad you were able to enjoy them in the house too. :)
DeleteI love the look of wisteria, but didn't know it was poisonous. It grows in the wild and makes for very pretty spring drives around here, but you can see its vines all over the trees. Glad it didn't take over your garden! :)
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about places where it would grow wild as you and the commenter before you have said.... I would imagine the drives would be amazing to see this. I know I would sure enjoy taking such a drive... and taking a LOT of pictures!!! :) Thank you for visiting.
DeleteI love Wisteria, but had no idea that it was toxic. I was thinking about planting it to surround our pergola, but we keep the backyard free of all pesticides and toxins for the pets and the garden. I am so glad that you shared this before I bought some! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteWe keep the pesticides and toxins out of the garden also... and I was so glad I didn't introduce this plant there... and I am glad you didn't either. :) They are such beautiful plants though. :) Thank you for visiting.
DeleteI always thought they were such a pretty plant and thought about trying to grow one but had read some some negative information about them before. I didn't realize they were toxic. Thanks for sharing on information and informing people. I love your comparison to the Bible - very true. Will share on Twitter & Pinterest.
ReplyDeleteThey are so beautiful. :) Thank you for the sweet comment.... and for sharing... I am glad you visited. :)
DeleteThank you... what a blessing to have my post featured! :) Thank you for visiting.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea either that Wisteria was toxic. I have heard of other plants I wanted being being toxic also. Little children are always putting something in their mouth and I would be so nervous with that in my yard. Your analogy is perfect how sin can also be this way so tempting and beautiful but yet so deadly for your soul. Have a blessed day!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know either and I was surprised that it wasn't even on the label... it seems there are cautions on everything in today's world. Thank you for a beautifully encouraging comment. :)
DeleteYour pics are pretty; too bad about the toxicity of this flowering vine. I had no idea. Goes to show that research is always a good idea. I wanted a bougainvillea to thrive and wind itself all around my house, but my husband vetoed it, pointing out that in the fall, the breeze would blow all the fallen flowers into our neighbour's pool.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week,
Poppy:)
Oh, that would have made your neighbors very unhappy with you... so nice to be a team with our husbands, isn't it? :) Research is good.. and I do a lot of it, but still need to do more at times. Thank you for visiting... it was nice to have you.
DeleteWow...how interesting!
ReplyDeleteI would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thank you for the invitation... I will check it out. :)
DeleteGreat photos! I love the look of wisteria.
ReplyDeleteChristina
www.ourwoodhome.com (visiting from Strangers and Pilgrims link up!)
I do too... they are beautiful... just not in my garden. :)
DeleteI didn't know that wisteria is toxic, but I did know it can take over if it is planted in a place it likes. I think it is beautiful, but it doesn't sound like a good use of time and space. haha Your comparison of it to sin is so appropriate. Sometimes it isn't just sin either. Sometimes it is things that are not bad of themselves, but we allow them to take over our lives in a way that makes them so unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, kudzu overgrows things even worse than wisteria! And, something some people probably don't know is that some morning glory seeds are hallucinogenic.
I have seen the kudzu... when I lived in Michigan and saw pictures, it seemed so "pretty", but after seeing it closer and what it can do... NO WAY! It isn't pretty at all any more. The wisteria is beautiful, but does the same thing... more tolerable because of it's beauty, I guess. You are also right about the morning glory seeds.. and then there's the pokeweed that grows wild, and cherry twigs,.... so many things that can be toxic. Thank you for visiting and for your comment which added to the subject. :)
DeleteThanks from Grammy Dee, #WednesdayAIMLinkParty, social media shared.
ReplyDeleteI had a Wisteria tree and vine in the garden of my previous home. They do require a lot of trimming, but to me they were worth it. But then, I love to garden! It's therapy for me. If you ever visit the Carolinas when it is blooming you will see it covering everything that gets in it's way. After years of growth the vines can become huge and crushing. The trees are a little more easy to control. You have to not pamper a Wisteria, but chop chop! lol! I will be adding a Wisteria to this garden soon. It was my sweet mothers favorite and they remind me of her. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
I love to see them... the color is beautiful and they look so graceful and romantic. I'm glad you will be adding one and enjoying it... I haven't seen the ones in the south covering things, but I am sure that would be lovely.... and I would take many many pictures. :) Thank you for your comment and perspective on this plant. Thank you also for the wonderful party.
DeleteIt is so pretty but I had no idea it is toxic! Thanks for sharing at the Friday at the Fire Station link-up!
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful... but I am so glad that I found out about the toxicity so I can be extra careful when around them. Thank you for the party. :)
DeleteOh My! Is it toxic, the coour and the bunch looks so lovely and to read it was toxic makes me feel bad
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining the Bloggers Pit Stop
Launching SIM Organics This April
*Menaka Bharathi *
*SimpleIndianMom*
I still enjoy the beauty of it, but am thankful to know the dangers also. Thank you for visiting. :)
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