Hmmm, if you got upset 'and only slowly recovering' because you were sent the wrong seeds Bonsai may drive you to suicide !! Better be careful there.

Most of the beautiful wisteria you see were worked back from a larger/older plant. It is true that they won't always grow true from seed or even from cuttings (basal or root) for that matter. Most cuttings will flower however, the color is a crap-shoot sometimes but, you will get flowers. You cut the tap root off.

Bob

I got upset because I felt like I was had.

About the taproot, it seems wisteria trees/vines is labeled "may not survive transplant" because people damage the taproot. Am I to understand as long as you have enough fibrous roots before cutting the taproot, you can just treat it as any other transplanting?

Wisteria have weak roots but that being said you still have to remove the tap root for bonsai culture. They take a standard bonsai mix but need lots of water. Most people set the pot in a shallow basin of water during the heat of summer. They don't like frost and need protection. I would not try to get a bonsai from seed. They take too long to reach blooming age. Good luck, Jack

It's interesting that you say they don't like "frost", because if you saw the winters they go through here in Canada (or northern US) you'd be surprised at how much more than just frost they can take.

My wisteria handle cold pretty well...

Josh

Which species are you talking about? There are several species and varieties within each species. My Chinese wisteria (Wisterie sinensis) was a bonsai so lived in a pot. Two winters ago we had several nights in the teens, the coldest was 11 F. The roots froze and the tree went into decline and died. If it had been in the ground it probably would have been fine. I expect that you Canadians have yours in the ground also. If I get another wisteria it will winter in the greenhouse on cold nights.

Well, that's the difference (pot vs ground). It's not about a different type of tree, it's about the lack of root protection in a little pot vs the ground. Up here little pots get put into much larger ones full of mulch and then into unheated sheds, etc. when it gets cold. Anything would die if just left in a pot no matter how cold hardy it was.

What ever became of your Wisteria? I have 25 baby Blue Moon Wisteria, I am going to attempt for bonsai... I started them from seed about two weeks ago and now they are almost a foot tall. I am also going to take a cutting from the mother plant and attempt that route in a few weeks.

Wow, looks great Charles!

I soaked 8 wisteria sinensis seeds that I got from etsy a week ago and covered with soil and today noticed that they all germinated (including one that had me worried when it floated to the top immediately)! I would have noticed sooner but apparently they were all sprouting face down so all I saw was that the soil raised up a little. My objective for getting the seeds was for bonsai, but I don't think I have the patience to wait it out for 10-15 years for it to flower so I may just keep them planted outside and get one with a trunk ready to pot and prune.