CAROLINE PURPLE WISTERIA
Wisteria sinensis 'Caroline'
This selection was found in Santa Monica, California by William H. Chandler and named after his wife. Mr. Chandler was the Dean of Agriculture at UCLA. This wisteria was introduced through the arboretum at UCLA by Ms. Mildred Mathis. She planted it in the campus gardens. Ms. Mathias was a member of the World Identification Board became aware of Bob Ludekens' search for a purple wisteria. Mr. Ludekens is a graduate of UCLA. The L. E. Cooke Co. received graft wood from the arboretum about 1962 and included in our 1969-70 catalog after a review for several years of the bloom.
Today Caroline Purple Wisteria is still one of the best showy flowers in the spring and will bloom the first year for the nurseries. It grows well in the mild winter areas as well as in our warm central valley. We would consider it one of the nicest spring wisteria flowers for it is early, has good foliage, and a slightly larger flower than most. Caroline is very dependable for blooming.
A book published by Peter Valder lists in his chapter as a floribunda. The L. E. Cooke Co. lists as a sinensis as the plant blooms the first year and has flowers similar to other sinensis and the seedlings look like sinensis. Where most floribunda takes years to flower, Caroline will flower the first year from grafts.
Bob Ludekens 2-20-2014