Wisteria floribunda 'Caroline' – A Stunning Climbing Vine with Elegant Purple Flowers
Wisteria floribunda 'Caroline' is a spectacular deciduous climbing vine renowned for its cascading clusters of vibrant, fragrant flowers and stunning springtime display. This cultivar of Japanese wisteria is prized for its long, pendulous clusters of bluish-lavender flowers, which create a show-stopping spectacle. With its fast-growing, twining habit and remarkable floral display, 'Caroline' is perfect for trellises, pergolas, fences, and walls, offering year-round beauty with its dramatic spring bloom and lush green foliage.
Seasonal Beauty & Growth
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Spring: Wisteria 'Caroline' comes into its own in late spring, when it produces long, cascading clusters of bluish-lavender flowers. These fragrant blooms are borne in abundance, creating a beautiful waterfall of colour that attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies. The flowers emerge before the leaves, creating a spectacular floral display.
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Summer: After the flowers fade, the vine’s glossy, green leaves take over, providing a lush backdrop to the garden. The foliage grows in dense, graceful clusters, creating a thick green canopy that provides cooling shade to outdoor spaces. This vibrant green foliage complements the dramatic form of the vine, offering a calming visual contrast to the bright flowers of earlier in the year.
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Autumn: In autumn, the leaves of 'Caroline' turn a soft yellow, adding a lovely seasonal transition before they drop. Though not as dramatic as the spring blooms, the changing foliage still provides a pleasing end to the growing season.
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Winter: In winter, the vine’s twisted, bare stems offer an intriguing architectural silhouette. Though dormant, the structure of the vine still adds character to the garden, particularly when trained on a trellis or wall. The bare stems create a unique framework for the colder months.
Structure & Form
Wisteria floribunda 'Caroline' is a vigorous, climbing vine that can reach up to 9–12m (30–40ft) in length if left to grow unchecked, making it an ideal choice for covering trellises, pergolas, fences, or even walls. It has a strong, twining habit, and its stems can become thick and woody as the vine matures. The cascading flower clusters can be up to 30cm (12 inches) long, creating a dramatic vertical display. This makes it a perfect choice for gardeners looking for a plant that offers both vertical growth and a stunning, seasonal show.
Ideal for Various Landscapes
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Pergolas & Arches: 'Caroline' is perfect for training over pergolas, arches, or garden gates, where its trailing clusters of flowers can be enjoyed up close, creating a magical, fragrant canopy.
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Walls & Fences: Use 'Caroline' to cover fences, garden walls, or even the sides of buildings. The vine’s cascading flowers will soften hard surfaces, adding colour and interest to vertical spaces.
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Patio Gardens & Courtyards: This climbing vine works beautifully in smaller outdoor spaces, like patios or courtyards, where its rapid growth and fragrant flowers can transform the space into a secluded, aromatic retreat.
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Cottage & Woodland Gardens: 'Caroline' thrives in informal garden settings where its dense foliage and dramatic flowers can enhance naturalistic planting schemes.
Growing Conditions & Care
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Position: Wisteria 'Caroline' thrives in full sun to partial shade. However, for the best flowering performance, plant it in a sunny location where it can receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
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Soil: It prefers well-drained, fertile soil, though it is adaptable to a range of soil types, including clay, loam, and sandy soils. Ensure the soil remains moist but not waterlogged.
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Hardiness: Fully hardy in temperate climates, Wisteria 'Caroline' is well-suited to withstand colder winters and moderate frost, making it perfect for a range of growing zones.
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Maintenance: Wisteria floribunda 'Caroline' is a vigorous grower and benefits from regular pruning to maintain its shape and encourage more blooms. Prune the vine in winter to remove any dead wood, and then again in summer to reduce excessive growth. Deadheading spent flowers will also encourage a more abundant bloom the following season. Regular watering is essential during dry spells, especially in its first few years of establishment.
Why Choose Wisteria floribunda 'Caroline'?
Wisteria 'Caroline' is a fast-growing, stunning vine that delivers one of the most spectacular floral displays in the garden. Its long clusters of bluish-lavender flowers and fragrant blossoms in spring are a highlight, while its vigorous growth provides lush green coverage throughout the summer. This vine is perfect for creating an enchanting garden feature, whether over an arbor, along a fence, or as a standalone specimen.
Perfect Plant Combinations
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Other Climbers – Pair with Clematis or Roses for complementary flowering vines that offer different bloom times, creating continuous floral interest throughout the season.
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Flowering Shrubs – Combine with Lavender, Forsythia, or Viburnum for contrasting foliage and additional colour in the garden.
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Perennials & Grasses – Underplant with Hostas, Astilbe, or Daylilies to add texture and colour below the vine while keeping the base area vibrant.
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Evergreen Foliage – Complement with evergreen shrubs like Boxwood or Pine for year-round structure and to contrast the seasonal bloom of the wisteria.
Wisteria floribunda 'Caroline' is a must-have for those looking to add a touch of elegance and fragrance to their garden. Its spectacular spring blooms, vigorous growth, and graceful form make it perfect for creating dramatic garden features, while its lush green foliage provides shade and beauty throughout the summer. Whether you're looking to cover a trellis, fence, or wall, this climbing vine will add year-round beauty to your landscape.
Does the height include the pot?
No, we measure from the top of the pot to the tip of the plant except for some of the instant planted screens, in this case it will be stated in the description
How long does delivery take?
Most orders are delivered in just a few days, Smaller items are often sent with Parcelforce on a next day service, Larger items should allow up to 10 days due to the size of the items they often have to be sent on our own transport.
Where will you leave my plants?
We will leave your order at the front of your property, Parcelforce may
leave your items in a safe place if you let us know, Pallet couriers
will require a flat hard surface to deliver to, no gravel or soil, a
driveway or parking spot would be best. Most importantly Deliveries by
pallet courier will require access for a large truck (bin lorry sized)
to get near the delivery point. Deliveries sent on our own transport may come in a small van or larger truck.
