pawlonia (royal empress tree) blooms with a grape like cluster, too, but it points up, not down. wisteria does bloom before it leafs out. i haven't seen any wisteria blooming yet, but i don't think it's to early, given how warm our spring's been. that's probably what it is. it normally blooms around eastertime, which of course, varies from march til april.

Wisteria's blooming all over my area. It's one of the worst invasive exotics we have.

It's wisteria. It's not too early for it to be blooming -- it's been blooming here in Smithfield for over a week. It does climb trees and bloom.

It's wisteria. It's in full bloom right now in the Triangle.

Definitely wisteria. It's all over Durham and starting to bloom up here in Person County, too. It's very invasive, too.

I was remembering walking the Wisteria Trail at Umstead State Park here in Raleigh and thinking it was more like early summer before it bloomed. Guess I misremembered. Invasive or not, it sure is lovely climbing those trees. Does seem rather kudzu-ish, though. You look toward a stand of some kind of pine tree and it's completely purple. No green to be seen. I guess I'll enjoy it on the highway and be glad it's not in my yard.

Thanks for solving the mystery!

Karen

We were on a bike ride last week and and it was hanging from all the trees and the fragrance was heavenly. It may be a noxious weed but a beautiful and fragrant one for sure. Theresa.

The non-native (Japanese) wisteria, the invasive variety, is blooming now. Our native wisteria will bloom in the early summer. It's not nearly so invasive (or hardy) and doesn't grow large enough to do serious damage to trees, and its flower clusters are much smaller.
This picture is of some growing in a cut-over area down in the Wateree Swamp. We transplanted some to grow on a piece of fence by our driveway. It is robust enough to have just about crowded out the native honeysuckle and star jasmine on the same section of fence.
{{gwi:565602}}
BTW, it hasn't got claws. There's some catbriar in that picture, too.
Wm

I love the picture of the native Wisteria! I really love the invasive Wisteria too, but would never plant it. It's pretty but evil. There is a large wisteria vine on a dogwood across the street from me. When we moved in 8 yrs ago it was beautiful in bloom because they bloomed at the same time and there was all the white and purple from the two flowers. Needless to say there is no longer any white. I am not sure if there is any life to the dogwood now or if it is just a support for the vine. Now the wisteria is climbing to adjacent trees and if it were my property I would be very concerned. It's still beautiful. Looks like a wisteria tree. It also sends little baby wisterias over to my yard which I militantly pull out. -Ais.

Both Wisteria sinensis and W. floribunda are on the lists of invasive exotics for the eastern U.S. Only Wisteria frutescens is native, so check the label before you buy. I had heard that there were exotic cultivars that were selected to be both free-flowering and noninvasive, but I do not know if this is true. Anyone?

Here is a link that might be useful: Invasive wisteria and Native Subs

Both Wisteria sinensis and W. floribunda are on the lists of invasive exotics for the eastern U.S. Only Wisteria frutescens is native, so check the label before you buy. I had heard that there were exotic cultivars that were selected to be both free-flowering and noninvasive, but I do not know if this is true. Anyone?

Here is a link that might be useful: Invasive wisteria and Native Subs

The other plant blooming like crazy now is Lady Banks Rose(banksia rose). At my other house it is now 40' up a cedar tree and spilling over into nearby trees with its pale yellow blooms. At this house, I planted a new one I guess too close to a black walnut and I think this year it's officially dead. The wisteria in the Charlotte area is just about past peak now but it was beautiful despite its invasiveness.

Has anyone heard of nystersia (spelling???) Is it another name for wisteria???