Reprinted from May issue Flower Grower, Albany, N. Y. 
ride by train from that city. They are 
well worthy of a visit by plant lovers, as 
well as by those who enjoy seeing the un¬ 
usual and beautiful in Nature, for the} 7 are 
indeed unique and if seen are very much 
to be admired and never to be forgotten. 
The Japanese practice of serving at 
their flower festivals, confections, in the 
top of which are imbedded, preserved, or 
otherwise processed blooms of their hon¬ 
ored flowers, is truly unique and ex¬ 
tremely interesting. 
If such a practice was adopted in the 
United States in connection with the 
Apple Blossom Festival, in Winchester, 
Virginia; the Mid-Winter Rose Carnival 
in Pasadena, California; the Japanese 
Flowering Cherry Display, in Washing¬ 
ton, D. C., and other flower festivals 
throughout the country, a much greater 
personal interest might be awakened and 
a more extended and lasting apprecia¬ 
tion of such occasions be accomplished. 
It would be interesting to learn, if, 
and where, older, larger, and longer- 
flowered Wistarias are to be found in 
Japan or other parts of the Far East, or 
throughout the world. I trust that in 
case such plants are known, this paper 
may be the means of bringing them to 
the attention of horticulturists and plant 
lovers throughout the world. 
Canes of the Ushijima Wistaria 
The base and a part of the trellis and 
upper portion of the Ushijima Wistaria, as 
it appeared April 18, 1929, a short time 
before the flowers appeared. The cluster of 
canes near the ground measures about 8 
feet in diameter. The translation of the 
Japanese poem on the trellis support at the 
left is: “When you are careful of your 
character and your mind, people will re¬ 
spect you.” 
plants should be propagated vegetatively 
from good early-flowering specimens. 
This is especially true of the Chinese 
Wistaria. Wistaria floribunda is more 
likely to start flowering while young. 
They may be propagated by layering, 
grafting, cuttings of roots two inches 
long, and hardwood cuttings under glass. 
Wistaria thrives in an acid soil and it 
is advisable to mix peat thoroughly and 
deeply into the soil before planting. 
When plants refuse to flower there are 
several things recommended that may in¬ 
duce flowering. The use of superphos¬ 
phate as the only fertilizing material for 
a time, will sometimes induce flowering. 
In Japan, Wistaria is carefully pruned 
each year; this resulting in better bloom¬ 
ing. If the wood is pruned back each 
year to the spurs, the wood will be hard¬ 
ened sufficiently to induce flowering. The 
method used is much the same as that 
Examples of WISTARIA 
as a pot plant, Wis¬ 
taria floribunda varieties 
A nearby view of a portion of one side of the Ushijima 
Wistaria. The large festoons of long, slender racemes of 
light-lavender flowers are unique and exquisitely beautiful 
Wistaria Facts 
O NE of the finest of hardy vines is the 
Wistaria, and an old vine in full 
flower is a beautiful sight. 
Non-flowering of Wistaria may be due 
to any of various reasons. They are very 
easily grown from seed, but there is con¬ 
siderable variation in the seedlings. Often 
these seedlings do not come into flower 
for an indefinite number of years and 
they are therefore certain to prove un¬ 
satisfactory. To give satisfaction, the 
used for pruning Hydrangea p.g. for 
large flowers.— ( Bulletin Michigan State 
Florists Ass’n) 
Japanese maidens with 47-inch racemes 
from the Ushijima Wistaria. Background 
is a canopy of thousands of such flowers 
