Purple By the Highway: Wisteria in SC
The Great Grape-Colored Vine You know it's Spring in SC when you see Wisteria in bloom! Chinese and Japanese Wisteria Distribution Map State of Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management While SC does see both American and Kentucky Wisteria bloom, most of the visible Wisteria is of the Chinese or Japanese variety. Like the previously discussed invasive vine, Kudzu, the Wisteria vine came from Asia in the early 1800s, touted for its ornamental purposes. Notice how both Kudzu and Wisteria have spread into many of the same areas in the United States, as shown on the map. And much like Kudzu, its rapid growth was unpredicted and therefore unmanaged. The result? Wisteria vines have been known to create canopies over forests (shading plants meant to grow in the sun), choke and break tree limbs, and even completely overtake smaller trees . Native vs. Non-Native Aren't they all just purple flowers? American Wisteria (pictured lef...