Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands

Common name: Witte blauwe regen, Japanese wisteria

Family: Fabaceae subfam. Faboideae (Pea or bean family)

Distribution: Japan

Life form: Climber

Comments: There are two specimens of this spectacular vine in Leiden Botanical Garden: one against the pergola, the other against the garden house. The specimen at the pergola was introduced to our garden before 1856 by Von Siebold; the origin of the plant against the garden house is unknown. It is a type of wisteria that bears white flowers. The entrance to the garden house is a popular spot for wedding photographs when this wisteria flowers in May. Three different kinds of wisteria grow against the pergola, which together produce an overwhelming amount of racemes. They were among the first specimens that were brought to Europe in the first half of the 19th century – the very first was brought to England as early as 1820. Wisteria floribunda has long clockwise-twining twigs. Its leaves, flowers and fruits are poisonous. The fruits are long seed pods – like laburnum, wisteria belongs to the legume family, which always have pods as their fruits.