In the article about the streets with the most beautiful magnolias in Bucharest, I wondered if the city is the most beautiful during another period than the one in which they bloom. I don’t know if it’s as beautiful, but I love it almost as much when glycine blooms, also known as wisteria.
What is wisteria? Wisteria is a climbing shrub with a huge crown and lots of flowers that look like acacia flowers. Wisteria with purple flowers is especially popular, but there is also wisteria with pink, white or yellow flowers.
Wisteria can be seen alone or beautifying the facade of a house entirely or partially. This article will show you two houses in Bucharest, “dressed” almost entirely in wisteria.
Wisteria wraps its stems around any support it finds and can reach impressive dimensions. The plant reaches adulthood when it’s 5 or 6 years old.
Glycine can extend up to 20 meters in height and 10 in length. From my point of view, it resembles a vine full of grapes.
The wisteria tree loves the sun, but it is not pretentious when it comes to soil. For this reason, it grows almost anywhere you choose to plant, especially if it has support around, which allows it to grow beautifully and harmoniously.
Some fun facts about wisteria:
- the biggest wisteria in the world is located in California, USA, and covers an area of over 4000 meters
- The English botanist Thomas Nuttal is the one who gave the name wisteria in the early 19th century
- there are ten species of glycine
- you can’t plant it in pots; it needs to be planted directly in the soil outside
- It’s a perennial plant and can survive up to 100 years. It is said that the longest-lived wisteria is in Japan and has a venerable age of 1200 (no, I didn’t add a 0 by mistake)
- Initially, it was called Blue Vine
Where to find wisteria in Bucharest – places with wisteria in Bucharest
General Eremia Grigorescu Street
On General Eremia Grigorescu Street, very close to the Romana Square (Piata Romana), this beautiful house, with Moorish influences, is covered by a purple wisteria.
It’s not very big, but it’s big enough to add a little color in early spring and perfectly complements the building’s architecture.
Comandor Eugen Botez Street
The next purple wisteria on this list is the one that made me write this article. The wisteria on Comandor Eugen Botez Street is already famous on social networks and almost wholly covers an old house.
I say almost entirely because the only elements that can be distinguished in the whole ensemble are the balcony and the two entrances on either side of the building. I don’t know who owns the house, but I’m convinced that no one has lived there for a long time and that without the help of wisteria, the old house would look like a ruin with a glorious past.
Being already famous, I recommend you to come here during the week to take beautiful pictures. You will also find a kitten eager for attention and food in the area, so come prepared with some food and cuddles. Hurry up because the 2022 wisteria season is coming to an end.
Voronet Street
On Voronet Street in Sector 3, a purple wisteria is decorating a fence already destroyed by an awful-looking graffiti.
It’s probably the best place for pictures on this list because the fence is behind some blocks, so only the locals know about this wisteria. Will it become a place of “pilgrimage” after this article?
Dionisie Lupu Street
Next on the list of places where you can find wisteria in Bucharest is Dionisie Lupu Street, specifically the Rectorate of the “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy. And in this case, the wisteria creates a perfect harmony with the architecture of the building, rendering a story frame. It’s like watching Daphne from Bridgerton go down those steps.
Wisteria stretches to the outside of the yard and intends to cross the street. To take pictures inside the yard, I must mention that I felt the need to ask the guards for permission.
Alexandru Philippide Street
Not as famous as the one on Comandor Eugen Barbu Street, but just as beautiful, mainly because it is the only white wisteria in this article, and among the few in Bucharest, it is the wisteria on Alexandru Philippide Street.
This time, the wisteria covers not one but two large houses, including their fence. Unlike purple, white wisteria has a strong, enticing, divine scent. Although I didn’t catch it when it was fresh, I could still smell it, even from afar. It is not to be missed!
Intrarea Anasonului
The glycine at Intrarea Anasonului has the smallest dimensions of those presented in this article. By the way, I intend to add others to the list of wisteria in Bucharest as I discover more.
As I said, the wisteria on Anasonului Street is smaller but no less beautiful. It is also located in an old house, decorating a solid wood door with wrought iron details, and it seems that its flowers outnumber the leaves.
The National Park
Given that I live relatively close to the National Park, the wisteria here are the first ones I discovered in Bucharest. They made me love this climbing tree and look forward to spring to see it bloom.
The wisteria trees in the National Park can be seen on the alleys at the end of which is the bust of Mihai Eminescu, Romania’s national poet.
