Wisteria sinensis

Native to China, this deciduous woody vine belongs to the pea family and can climb about 25 feet. Its stems twine counterclockwise around supports and become thick and twisted with age. Fragrant, pea-shaped flowers, usually blue-violet but sometimes white, hang in clusters about 6 to 12 inches long and open before the leaves fully emerge. Velvety, bean-like seed pods follow. It is invasive in North Carolina, United States. The seeds and other parts are poisonous if eaten. New plants can take several years to flower. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.