Wisteria floribunda ‘Honbeni’

Wisteria floribunda ‘Honbeni’, often known as ‘Pink Ice’ or ‘Rosea’, is a captivating deciduous twining climber that we at Tandee Nursery particularly admire for its unique charm. Unlike its more boisterous cousins, ‘Honbeni’ exhibits a more restrained growth habit, making it wonderfully manageable for a variety of garden settings. In late spring, it unleashes a spectacular display of unusually long, pendulous racemes, each laden with pea-like flowers. These open in a delicate blush, gradually fading to a paler pink, often with a subtle lavender edge and a hint of yellow at their heart, creating a truly romantic effect. The blooms also carry a lovely, sweet fragrance that enchants the air, a feature we always appreciate in the nursery.

For the best performance in your UK garden, we recommend planting ‘Honbeni’ in a sunny to partially shaded, wind-protected position, ideally on a south or west-facing aspect. While it’s hardy and tolerant of most soil types, it truly thrives in fertile, moist, and well-drained conditions, avoiding waterlogging or overly chalky ground. When planting near a wall, remember to position it at least 30-45cm away to allow its roots ample space to spread. This cultivar has good frost hardiness, and with an average growth rate of 0.6-0.9 metres (2-3 feet) per year, it’s a rewarding plant that will establish beautifully over time.

To encourage a prolific floral display, we advise a two-stage pruning regime. In mid-summer, after flowering, shorten the long, whippy green shoots back to five or six leaves. Then, in mid-winter when dormant, reduce these summer-pruned shoots further to two or three buds to promote flowering spurs. This vigorous climber demands strong support, so we suggest training it over a sturdy pergola, arbour, or against a robust wall. Its bronze new foliage in spring matures to a lush deep green through summer, before transforming into a glorious golden yellow in autumn, providing seasonal interest long after the flowers have faded. ‘Honbeni’ combines beautifully with other climbers like Clematis montana or a white Banksia rose for a truly abundant display.