Wisteria floribunda (Willd.) DC., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 12 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Japanese wisteria

Japanese: fuji, noda fuji

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Deciduous woody, twining vine that climbs upwards in a counter-clockwise direction; stems are slender, brown and densely hairy when young, becoming hairless with age; older plants can grow to 15 in. or more in diameter.  Leaves alternate, compound, 8-12 in. long, width 13-17 (11-19); leaflets egg-shaped with wavy-margins and strongly tapering tips.  Flowers are violet to violet blue, occur in pendulous racemes 1-3 ft. in length and open sequentially from the base to the tip; flowers are 0.6-0.7 in. long on 0.6-0.8 in. long stalks (pedicels); fruits are velvety pods 4«-7« in. long, broader towards the tip, and contain 3-6 round, flattened seeds each about 1/2 inch in diameter; pods begin to appear soon after flowering, mature during the summer and may persist for quite a while on the vines"  (Swearingen et al.; pp. 110-111).

Habitat/ecology:  "Used as an ornamental and often escapes from landscapes and becomes invasive in natural ecosystems. Wisteria floribunda infests forest edges and disturbed areas, including riparian zones and tolerates shade and a variety of soil types.  W. floribunda can tolerate a variety of soil and moisture types but it prefers loamy, deep, well drained soils"  (Global Invasive Species Database).

Propagation:  Seed. "Seeds can float for long distances from plants growing in riparian areas"  (Global Invasive Species Database).

Native range:  Japan; also cultivated (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1987) (voucher ID: BISH 511488) Taxon name on voucher: Wisteria floribunda (Willd.) DC.
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced invasive	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013) Naturalized
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) Texas
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control: 

"Physical: According to Martin (2002), current management approaches consist of mechanical and chemical methods. Mechanical methods should be used for small populations or where herbicides could damage desirable species. When cutting vines, cut close to the root collar to discontinue growth of existing vines and reduce seed production. W. floribunda will resprout, so it is recommended that the vine be cut repeatedly every two weeks from early in the growing season to autumn. Vines should be removed because they may continue to grow and girdle the host plant. Try to remove the entire plant (including roots) and dispose of all parts because any plant parts left can resprout.

Chemical: Cut-stump herbicide applications should be used where there are large stands of established vines or where desirable plants occur and could be affected by foliar spray. Cut the vine close to the ground and apply glyphosate or triclopyr (25% solutions in water) to the cut area. If resprouting occurs retreatment may be necessary. This treatment is not effective if the ground is frozen. Foliar sprays should be used where mechanical controls would be disruptive and cut-stump methods are impractical, but additional precautions should be taken not to harm non-target species. Spray the foliage thoroughly, but do not apply so much that it drips off. Application may be more effective in warmer temperatures (above 15-18 C) because translocation is slower in cooler weather. Triclopyr is specific for control of broadleaved plants and may be beneficial if protection of valuable native grasses is of concern. Glyphosate is non-selective and should be used with care. Chlopyralid targets aster, buckwheat, and the pea family. However, chlopyralid can seep into groundwater in sandy and limestone soil types. Picloram may provide control in areas where desirable vegetation is not present"  (Global Invasive Species Database).