Knowledgebase

Wisteria American or not? #948416

Asked November 12, 2026, 1:15 PM EST

Hello, I need some help with my Wisteria. I planted it near my house about 3 months ago, and now I am worried because I read that there is a species of Wisteria that could damage the walls of the house. I will send some photos so you can help me identify whether my Wisteria is Japanese/Chinese or American. Thank you very much in advance. I would really appreciate your help! Best regards,

Prince George's County Maryland

Expert Response

Hi, 

If you have not actively sought out American wisteria, it is more likely that you have an Asian type or hybrid. The MDA recently banned the sale of Asian wisterias because of their invasive characteristics and easy escape into natural settings. So you could ask the nursery which one they may have sold, since they shouldn't have been selling anything but the native species.

All of the wisteria species can be difficult to distinguish from one another when not in bloom or if they don't have seed pods. Is there a plant tag anywhere you could refer to or do you see any seed pods?

You may want to remove the plant until you can positively ID it as the American species (even still, Maryland is outside of its native range). 

Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied November 12, 2026, 1:43 PM EST

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