Artificial Wisteria Indoors, Outdoors and Under Cover: What to Specify
Share
Our artificial wisteria is for interiors, events and covered positions. None of the six wisteria lines is flagged UV-stabilised, outdoor-suitable or fire-retardant, so keep it out of direct sun and rain, use UV-flagged lines wherever a position is exposed, and switch to a fire-retardant line when a venue asks for fire evidence.
To compare wisteria against every other tree by height, spread and flags, use our artificial tree finder.
Where wisteria works, and what to use where it doesn't
| Position | Our wisteria? | What to specify |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel lobby, restaurant, bar, shop interior | Yes | Any line; choose height by viewing distance and ceiling |
| Wedding or event venue, indoors or in a marquee | Yes | Taller trees in pairs, set in heavier planters or weighted bases |
| Terrace, loggia or walkway under a solid roof | Yes, with a refresh plan | Keep it back from the open edge; inspect at each change of season |
| Conservatory, glazed atrium or sunny window | With care | Position out of direct sun; expect gradual fade where sun reaches it |
| Open pergola, exposed terrace, shopfront, garden display | No | UV-flagged topiary, trees, flower bushes or trailing plants |
| Venue asks for fire evidence | No | The fire-retardant cherry blossom or other fire-retardant lines |
The rule behind the table is simple. Wisteria is sold for its flower colour and hanging trails, and both suffer first when exposed: colour fades in sun, and trails get tangled and dirty in wind and rain. Put it where guests see it up close and the weather does not.
Our wisteria range at a glance
We stock six wisteria lines. All are sold singly, and the trees arrive in plastic weighted pots.
| Line | Flower colour | Height | Spread | Pot supplied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple wisteria tree 110cm | Purple | 110cm | 70cm | 18cm x 15cm weighted pot |
| Yellow wisteria tree 120cm | Yellow | 120cm | 70cm | 16cm x 13cm weighted pot |
| Luxury white wisteria tree 130cm | White | 130cm | 70cm | 18cm x 15cm weighted pot |
| Light pink wisteria tree 150cm | Light pink | 150cm | 70cm | 18cm x 14cm weighted pot |
| White wisteria bush 90cm | White | 90cm | 60cm | 12cm x 11cm weighted pot |
| Hanging white wisteria spray 80cm | White | 80cm drop | 25cm | Bare stem |
Availability of the hanging spray varies, so check the wisteria collection before you plan it into a scheme. Colour choice, quality checks and how wisteria sits alongside the blossom trees are covered in our trade buyer's guide to wisteria and blossom trees.
Specifying for interiors: height, drop and viewing distance
Wisteria's value is the trail, so place trees where the drop sits at or above eye level and guests can see the flowers from the side.
- Entrances and sightlines. The 130cm and 150cm trees work on the floor either side of a doorway or at the end of a corridor. Set in a 30cm to 40cm decorative planter, a 150cm tree finishes at roughly 180cm to 190cm, which clears most eye lines without touching a standard 2.4m ceiling.
- Counters and plinths. The 90cm bush suits reception desks, bar backs and display plinths, where its 60cm spread fills the surface without overhanging the edge.
- Walkways. Allow the full 70cm spread plus clearance. Trails that are brushed by guests and trolleys get pulled out of shape quickly.
- Colour under the lighting. White and light pink look quite different under warm and cool light. Trade customers can view lines at our Louth showroom by appointment, or order single units within the £150 ex VAT minimum to check them on site before committing to a full scheme.
Worked example: restaurant entrance and dining room. A pair of 150cm light pink trees at the entrance, plus two 90cm white bushes on the pass or bar back, gives a consistent wisteria theme with four units. Keep the trees at least a metre back from glazed frontages that take afternoon sun.
Covered outdoor positions and refresh planning
A terrace, loggia or walkway under a solid roof is workable if the trees sit back from the open edge, out of direct sun and driving rain. They still see daylight, wind and damp, so treat them as a planned refresh item rather than a permanent fixture:
- Set trees at least a tree's width back from the open side of the cover.
- Inspect at each change of season: shake out leaves and debris, straighten trails and check the colour against a tree kept indoors.
- Let trees dry out fully after wet spells, trails hanging free.
- Budget to replace a tree once its colour has dulled against the rest of the scheme. We don't publish a lifespan.
Retailers and garden centres should merchandise and label wisteria as indoor and covered stock, not garden stock, so that end customers don't put it on an open patio.
Exposed outdoor briefs: what to use instead
We have no UV-stabilised flowering tree. For open pergolas, terraces and entrances, build the scheme from UV-flagged lines:
- Clipped topiary for structure, such as the 120cm bay laurel topiary pair.
- Flower colour in planters and window boxes from the 30cm UV white flower bush (also in red, sold individually).
- Green trails along a pergola beam from the hanging UV and fire-retardant lines, such as the 128cm hanging clustered fern.
A workable split for a part-covered terrace is UV greenery in the open and wisteria only under the roofed section. UV-stabilised lines contain UV inhibitors that slow colour fade in bright and outdoor positions. All artificial foliage fades gradually in prolonged direct sun; UV-stabilised stock fades far more slowly than untreated stock. We don't publish a lifespan. More on outdoor selection is in our outdoor and UV-resistant artificial plants trade guide and on the UV-stabilised and outdoor plants page.
Anchoring wisteria at events
The weighted pots are small against a 70cm canopy with trails hanging off it, so a tree knocked at shoulder height will tip. For events:
- Set each tree inside a heavier planter or on a weighted base and pack the gap so the pot cannot rock.
- Keep trees out of the main flow of guests. On an aisle, place them outside the walking line rather than on it: an 8m aisle with a pair every 2m takes about eight trees and leaves the full aisle width clear.
- In a marquee, tie trees back to a pole or frame where the hire company allows it.
- Keep trails well clear of candles, heaters, festoon lamps and other heat sources.
Event styling, including arches and white-wisteria wedding schemes, is covered in our October guide, Artificial White Wisteria Trees for Weddings and Events. The events and weddings page groups lines for event dressing alongside wisteria.
If a venue needs fire evidence
Our wisteria is not fire-retardant. The only fire-retardant flowering tree we stock is the 210cm fire-retardant cherry blossom tree with 1,206 flowers, which gives a similar pink canopy at a taller height. Our fire-retardant lines are made from fully tested fire-retardant materials. Testing is carried out at material level to EN 13501-1 (reaction to fire, classification B-s2, d0) and NFPA 701, and the same tested material is used across the range's styles. Test reports are available to trade customers on request, and the venue's fire risk assessment decides what is acceptable in a given location. Every artificial plant, fire-retardant or not, should be kept clear of heaters, candles, cooking equipment and naked flames.
What the rating means and how to present it to a venue is covered in our guide to fire-rated artificial plants for commercial buyers, and the full fire-retardant range is on the fire-retardant plants page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mix wisteria and the fire-retardant cherry in one scheme?
Yes, but the cherry's fire-retardant status does not extend to the wisteria next to it. The venue's fire risk assessment looks at everything in the space, so list each line separately on your schedule and flag which ones are fire-retardant.
Is there an interior blossom tree taller than 150cm?
Yes. For a taller pink canopy indoors, the 180cm pink cherry tree is 60cm wide; for a white alternative at wisteria height, the 150cm white cherry blossom tree pairs well with the 130cm white wisteria.
What if wisteria gets wet in a marquee or covered area?
Shake off the water and let it dry fully, trails hanging free, before it is packed or stored. Packing it damp risks marking and musty smells by the next event.
Can I sell your wisteria as outdoor garden stock?
No. It isn't UV-flagged or outdoor-flagged, so describe it to your customers as indoor and covered-position stock. For outdoor displays, stock from the UV-resistant collection.
How should I store wisteria between events?
Upright or hung by the trunk, in a dry space, with trails loosely wrapped in tissue so they don't knot. Avoid stacking boxes on top of the canopy.
Choose and order
Compare heights and flags across every tree in the artificial tree finder, browse the wider flowering trees collection for interior and covered schemes, and use fire-retardant trees where a venue asks for fire evidence.
Register online, log in to see trade prices. Register here, or email sales@leafdesignwholesale.co.uk to book a showroom appointment and check wisteria colours in person.
