wisteria

This leguminous climbing shrub is named after US anatomist Caspar Wistar (1761-1818). The clusters of pealike, often purple flowers make this a handsome ornamental and it is often grown to cover walls, conservatories, and verandas.

Any of a group of climbing leguminous shrubs (see legume), including W. sinensis, native to the eastern USA and East Asia. Wisterias have hanging clusters of bluish, white, or pale mauve flowers, and pinnate leaves (leaflets on either side of the stem). They are grown against walls as ornamental plants. (Genus Wisteria, family Leguminosae.)