The destructive nature of wisteria

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Wistaria with an "a" or an "e" –how did it get to be spelled two ways? This plant with species native to Japan, China and the Eastern U.S., was given its name by a botanist in honor a physician, Caspar Wistar, with an "a." Somehow, the spelling got changed to with an "e" as most everyone uses today. Regardless, the Chinese and Japanese wisterias, which twine around trees in opposite directions, manage to strangle trees and grow completely out of bounds with lightning-like speed. They are both fast-growing vines in their native habitat, but nothing like the thugs they are here. They were brought to the US in the early 1800’s and were planted extensively in gardens and parks and, sadly, still sold today. Please, please, please don’t plant one.