Wisteria "Tree" Care: Training, Pruning, and Leaf Spot

A wisteria sold as a "tree" is actually a woody vine trained on a standard. Keep one or two main leaders; remove stubby side branches. The new vine at the top is the new leader—train it. Yellow leaves with brown dots may be fungal leaf spot (often self‑limiting) or mosaic virus (incurable). Take a sample to your County Extension for diagnosis.

Maintenance

• Prune twice yearly: summer (cut back whippy growth to 6 inches) and winter (shape structure).
• Mulch base; water during drought.
• If mosaic virus confirmed, remove and destroy plant.

Proper training yields a stunning, manageable specimen.