First Editions® Summer Cascade wisteria creates a fragrant cover for an arbor, fence or pergola.

Summer Cascade wisteria features large, showy blooms.

Imagine spending a lazy afternoon under a beautiful, fragrant canopy. Creating that beautiful space is now easier for gardeners in the North, thanks to new varieties of cold-hardy wisteria.

One new variety, discovered in White Bear Lake, Minn., will be available at garden centers for the first time this spring. First Editions® Summer Cascade wisteria blooms on new growth, covering the plant with beautiful flowers beginning in June. It’s a perfect choice for covering an arbor or pergola, adding shade, fragrance and ambiance to your outdoor space.

Summer Cascade’s long, showy flowers open a deep blue-lavender then fade as the season progresses. In late summer, the plant produces seed pods that add interest throughout the fall.

Research at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum found Summer Cascade to be more reliably cold hardy than other varieties.

Common Name: First Editions® Summer Cascade wisteria

Botanical Name: Wisteria macrostachya ‘Betty Mathews’ 

Flowers: Lavender, fragrant

Soil: Fertile, well drained

Size: 15 to 25-feet

Exposure: Full sun

Watering: Keep soil evenly moist.

When to Fertilize: One application in the spring

Pruning: Prune in late fall or winter, making sure to remove any dead branches. Cut side branches back to about a foot from the main trunk.

In Your Landscape: Summer Cascade needs a strong support structure. Train this wisteria on a trellis, arbor or pergola.

From Minnesota Gardener Volume I Issue I. Photos courtesy of Bailey Nurseries.