Is it really a seedling, or a piece that has grown from the roots of another wisteria? Most wisterias are huge, heavy climbers, bus tome varieties are not so large. I don't know about standards - are they grafted onto an upright stem? You would need to do some research i think.

Hi Dee I used to have a Wisteria when I lived in Melbourne that was grown from a seed, it did not flower till it was eight years old then only a few flowers grew on it. If you are going to the trouble of training a Standard I would buy a grafted plant and work on that and make sure you have the top of it on some kind of metal frame. I grow my weeping standards bougainvillea's on a hardwood stake with a bicycle wheel bolted into the top of it, its cheap and works..... Cheers...MM

Hi MM & Sparaxis,
It is definitley a seedling. It was on the other side of a wide concrete driveway quite some distance away from the 'mother'.
I think what sounded like a good idea in my head is probably not going to happen. I don't think I can wait 8 years for a flower!
The whole thing sounds a bit more complicated than I first thought....oh well, we live and learn. Perhaps a nice standard rose might make me feel better!
Thanks anyway for the advice.
Cheers,
Dee.

You are probably right - it probably is a seedling, especially if you dug it up and it had discreet roots of it's own....BUT ... it is not unusaul to find suckers of a parent plant coming up that far, or further away. I used to laugh at one that flowered in an old shop window in Castlemaine. The parent plant was some distance away and the sucker had come up under the floor and between the floor and the wall, finding window light, and was growing quite happily as an indoor plant.

Dee, I would persevere with the seedling as all you're going to lose is time. I've grown two standard wisterias and they are easy to grow, just make sure you have a very strong stake, I used star pickets with no ill effects. Tie main stem to stake using a figure of eight with the tie, I used old stockings. You can tie it straight or wound around the stake, I used the winding method as it makes for a stronger plant. Remove all the side shoots except two or three at the top. As it grows keep winding and tying to the stem and rubbing off new shoots below the main growth. It will take a couple of seasons to get a decent amount of growth on the top then you can prune to shape as the tendrils will snake all over the place. Prune in summer and hopefully you will get flowers in the not too distant future. Good luck.
Cheers, Jules

Hi Jules,
Thanks for that....I think you have given me back my inspiration. I had a negative wave I think. As you say, what have I got to lose. I already have the seedling, so here goes!!! Thanks everyone.
Cheers
Dee (who is about to go outside and find a nice strong stake!)