My guess is that it’s pretty much always been this way but with social media, the internet, all the “experts” out there, so much of what we’re told is true later proves not to have been quite so true. It’s hard to know who or what to believe any more. I’m so glad we’ve “disconnected” from TV and the news. I think Vince has turned the TV on three times and he’s been here two months. I would never have thought that would have been possible. He signed up for some kind of drawing/sketching/writing classes online. It was three or four days of non-stop presentations by different artists and he can go back and watch them all later, over and over. This morning he watched the last one and decided he was going to town. My guess is that he’s going to Hobby Lobby to get some of the supplies he needs. He told me . . if you want to go, we can go by Magic Noodle and eat. Nope . . that eating out bribe has run it’s course and I’m done eating out so he went to town by himself. I do hope he’s going by Hobby Lobby and getting some fun things to practice what he’s seen on the lessons he watched.
But, back to my “not so trustworthy info” ramble . . this morning I pulled the tags off the wisteria and looked them up. Kinda late for that since they’re already planted but after looking at everything I read, here’s what I know . . facts only! <G>
- They will either smell like cat pee or they will smell good. One place said they’re beautiful but they absolutely smell like cat pee. One place said they’re beautiful but not as fragrant as some of the more aggressive varieties but they smell a bit like lilacs. OK . . I don’t think anyone who can smell at all would consider cat pee and lilacs to have any similarities . . zero.
- They will either live or die. One place said they’re safe to Zone 7b. One place said they’re good to Zone 5a. For 7b, the annual average extreme minimim temp range is 5 to 10 degrees. For Zone 5a, it’s -20 to -15. We’re supposed to be 6b with the average extreme low of -5 to 10. This past winter was an unusual one, I hope. We got down below -20 for several days. So, if they’re only hardy down to 5 degrees, I’ll plant grapes on that trellis next year!
What’s up with all the variation in information? I can see it if one site says they’re a pretty, vibrant purple and one site says they’re a dull, grayish purple. Color can be in the eye of the beholder and growing conditions can sometimes affect color but whether they smell like cat pee or lilacs and whether 5 degrees is the lowest they can tolerate or whether -20 is the lowest they can tolerate .. that sounds like a lot of not very trustworthy information if you ask me.
In the long run, none of this really matters – they live or they don’t – but think about how many people get every piece of information from the internet and they believe everything they read. Scary thought!
Donna says
My experience with them is they are beautiful but very aggressive even the none aggressive kind to some extent. If they get on a tree they will eventually choke it out. They come up everywhere even in the neighbors yard. With that said they smell so good ( a little strong at peak) and so pretty to look at. Good luck with yours. I tied mine vines up as one trunk so it grew more like a tree and tried to never let a branch touch the ground and root.
Judy Laquidara says
We planted it where it isn’t near other trees or buildings. It’s about 8′ from the solar panels and so long as we walk back there often and don’t let it reach the panels, we’re hoping it’s ok. We’ll try it . . may regret it but we’ll see. Thanks!
laurie says
Part of the differences so close together could be do to microclimates. We live in Northeast Ohio, but our little spot near Akron has different weather than even just the other side of the county.