: any of a genus (Wisteria) of mostly woody leguminous vines of China, Japan, and the southeastern U.S. that have pinnately compound leaves and long racemes of showy blue, white, purple, or rose papilionaceous flowers and that include several (such as W. sinensis and W. floribunda) grown as ornamentals
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Look for American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) for similar clusters of lilac-purple flowers, but without the invasive tendencies.—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025 The generous garden, developed with the firm Brook Landscape, features a firepit, an outdoor kitchen, and a very aggressive wisteria.—Michael Boodro, Architectural Digest, 9 Sep. 2024 For all of these reasons, try out trellising cucumbers or guiding wisteria vines over an arch.—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2024 Naturally, given the property’s name, there’s a mature private garden with ancient wisteria trees and a large pond that serves as an ideal spot for wildlife watching.—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wisteria
Word History
Etymology
New Latin Wisteria, from Caspar Wistar †1818 American physician
: any of a genus of mostly woody vines of China, Japan, and the southeastern U.S. that belong to the legume family and have leaves with numerous leaflets and showy blue, white, purple, or rose flowers in long hanging clusters
Etymology
named for Caspar Wistar 1761–1818 American physician
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