Plant types

Plant styles

Planting conditions

Seasonal interest

Nurseries & Gardens

Photo by Joe Sime

Show all photos

Buy Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls'

Also Known As

Amethyst Falls American Wisteria
Amethyst Falls Reblooming Wisteria

Plant type

vine

size

H: 10'-30'
W: 10'-25'

planting zones

5a-9b

2 year graft (24-30 inch) | $50.75

Shipping based on order size & destination

Fewer than 15 at Bloom River Gardens

2 inch wide, 4-6 inch deep tube | $34.95

Buy button links to nursery site for checkout

Fewer than 9 at Forestfarm

More Options

Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls' plant details

Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls' is a fast-growing broadleaf deciduous vine with green foliage. In spring and summer blue, lavender and purple flowers emerge. Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in rich and well-drained soil.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls'

Plant type: vine
Plant family: fabaceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 10 FT - 25 FT - wide, 10 FT - 30 FT - tall
Flowers: blue, lavender and purple blooms in spring and summer
Uses: award-winning, repeat-blooming, trellis, vigorous

GROWING CONDITIONS for Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls'

USDA Zones: 5a - 9b
Sun exposure: sun - mostly shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: deer
Soil needs: rich and well-drained

We independently publish plant data to search multiple nurseries at once. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases when you buy through our links.

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls' is a daintier, better behaved version of the Chinese wisteria. It will grow quickly, eventually to about 30 feet, but it won't take over the world, rip your porch off your house, or swallow up the neighbour's cat. 'Amethyst Falls' blooms in spring, even on young plants, with stubby, six inch long, grape bunch-like chains of fragrant, lavender flowers with yellow markings. It will also bloom intermittently through the summer. Great for smaller gardens.

By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

Vivid bluish-purple, pleasantly fragrant flowers adorn this American native in late spring and sometimes again in summer; as a W. frutescens it is slower growing and less aggressive with shorter plumper flower clusters. S/M

By: Forestfarm

Wisteria frutescens or American Wisteria is much smaller and far less invasive than the common Asian species Wisteria sinensis. Because the growth is slower and plants are less likely to grow rampant, 'Amethyst Falls' is a great choice for small and medium sized landscapes and is even suitable for bonsai. This species performs much better than others when pruned into tree form and holds its shape with far less pruning.

By: Red Panda Nursery

We have not planted any other wisteria, as they can be overwhelming. This small slow grower will bloom very young. The lavender flowers are only 6”-8” but have an attractive form.

By: Gossler Farms

Looking for a well-behaved wisteria? 'Amethyst Falls' flowers at a young age, has a slightly more compact growth habit and it's noninvasive. An abundance of fragrant flowers first appears in 4-6" long racemes in late spring and it will often rebloom in summer. Train on an arbor, a trellis or a fence and you'll be rewarded with cascades of bluish-purple flowers that attract butterflies to your garden. Prune in late winter to encourage a well-branched specimen.

By: Logee's Plants for Home & Garden

Gracefully cascading in opulent 2 to 4 in. compact racemes amid shiny bronze-tinged new growth, 'Amethyst Falls' earns its name. The fragrant, pealike, vivid lavender-hued flowers unfurl some two weeks earlier than their Asian relatives and if lightly pruned will produce a summer encore. A slew of twining stems and airy pinnate foliage composed of green oval-shaped leaflets can be trained up a pergola or a trellis and as a free-standing tree form. An improved selection of our native American Wisteria, this noninvasive, award winning cultivar exhibits an easily controlled less aggressive habit, which withstands deer, most diseases and some drought, doesn't fuss about soil fertility and relishes good drainage. Large Band.

By: Digging Dog Nursery

Not rampant-growing like Asian wisterias, this American native produces a great number of small purple blooms over a long period. The dusky green vines climb, but it blooms on current year shoots, so can be pruned to any desired size without worry that it may not bloom.

By: Heritage Seedlings

Said to be not quite as rampant as the Asian Wisterias. This is a selection of the American native wisteria and will produce purple blooms over a long period. They do climb and will also spread by underground runners, but they can be pruned to a convenient size since they bloom on current year shoots.

By: Hoot Owl Hollow Nursery

Amethyst Falls is a lavender blue selection of this US native vine. It is much more restrained than the Asian species. It blooms in late spring and repeats lightly throughout summer months. The best show can be achieved by trimming your vine to four buds from last year's new growth just before this year's growth begins.

By: Brushwood Nursery

Lavender-blue 6-8" fragrant racemes of flowers in spring and sporadically in summer, needs strong support, Zones 5-9.

By: Lael's Moon Garden

Somewhat less aggressive, though still capable of toppling an arbor or trellis if left untended, is our native American wisteria (W. frutescens). While its floral display is a little less impressive than the Asian species', it's still a charming vine, displaying handsome foliage and dangling purple blue flowers with a sweet perfume. Light summer pruning to control growth & flush a 2nd bloom. Dormant pruning can be hard an unselective! Host plants for the Zarucco Duskywing Butterfly. The one vine that deer won't eat even if near starving.

By: Lazy S'S Farm Nursery

This award winning (Gold Merit from PHS) non-invasive, yet vigorous selection of native Wisteria has lovely lavender blue 4-6" drooping racemes in mid May-June with rebloom into early August. 15'.

By: Avant Gardens

This twining vine will grow at about 1/3 the rate of the Asian wisterias for better behavior in small spaces and containers. Intensely blue, 4-6" long racemes are borne in April and May and continuing to bloom on new growth throughout the summer. May be pruned heavily in winter as it blooms on new growth.

By: Greer Gardens Inc.

One of our most beautiful native vines, this wisteria is more dimunitive than its Asian counterparts. To 15 ft or so, free-flowering with, indeed, amethyst flowers in mid-spring with an occasional repeat later. Somewhat drought tolerant but best with some summer water. Full sun. Frost hardy in USDA zone 6.