A LITTLE WISTARIA HISTORY 

The Vine 

Sierra Madre’s 130-Year Old Wistaria* Vine By Phyllis Chapman 


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

[Nyerges is an educator, author, and ethnobotanist who has authored “Nuts and Berries of California,” and nearly 20 other books. You can find more information at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.] 

CONSIDERING THE WISTARIA PLANT 

Soon, people from around the world will flock to Sierra Madre for the 
annual Wistaria Festival. OK, maybe not from around the world, but 
certainly from near and far in Southern California. 

Every town whose leaders are farseeing, seek to find some pot at the end of the rainbow 
from which to extract endless revenue for its residents. For Pasadena, it is the Rose Parade 
and related activities. For Sierra Madre, it is the unlikely wistaria vine, considered 
one of the oldest anywhere. 

The vine is a sprawling plant most of the year, and around March it starts to set its buds 
and produce its drooping mildly-fragrant purple flowers. It’s very attractive. One year, 
I went on the tour of the “Wistaria House” and was treated to a very special tour. After 
learning how the roots destroyed at least one former structure on the property, I left 
with the firm conviction that I would never, ever plant a wistaria vine anywhere near 
any home or structure that I owned! I know some will bristle at this, but just look at 
the facts – wistaria is best grown well away from your important structures. 

There is a duality to Wisteria, starting with those who think it’s an invasive weed and 
those who like to eat its sweet, fragrant blossoms. 

Where did Wistaria get its name? Some say it is named after Dr. Caspar Wistar (17611818) 
physician, anatomist, vaccination champion and abolitionist. Others say it was 
named for Charles Jones Wister Sr., whose father, Daniel, paid for the voyage of the 
Empress of Chi-na which brought a Wisteria vine to North America from China. But 
apparently Wisteria had already been brought to the U.S. 

Wiseria’s multiple personality continues with edibility. The blossoms of the plant are 
edible raw or cooked. The rest of the plant is toxic per se. In fact, as little as two raw 
seeds can kill a child. That is not uncommon for a member of the pea family which ranges from edible to toxic, so we do not recommend that you eat the seeds. 

Wisteria is a vigorous, fast grower that doesn’t need fertilizer and fixes nitrogen. In fact, abuse improves blossoming as does pruning. It can live at least 156 years (as of 2026) and is considered 
an invasive species in some areas. It has naturalized from Maine to Florida and as far west as Arkansas. It commonly grows wild in certain Southern California backyards. 

In Japan, the young leaves of the W. floribunda (aka W. macrobotrys and W. multijuga) are cooked and eaten, and the blossoms are blanched. This holds true for the Wisteria venusta, or 
Silky Wisteria. It has white flower clusters six inches long, vine to 25 feet, 9 to 13 leaflets, counter clockwise twist. 

The seeds and leaves of the Wisteria japonica were used as a famine food — but are not recommended — and the flowers of the Wisteria villosa have been eaten. 

There are several species of the Wisteria plant, including sinsensis, frutescens, floribunda, macrostachys, and others. 

I recall some years ago that at least a few merchants at a past Wistaria Festival were selling a jam made from the wistaria blossoms. After I researched the viability of doing this, I came up 
with advice from Greene Deane. 

For those who want to try eating the wistaria blossoms, ethnobotanist Greene Deane offers the following method of preparation: “Blossoms raw or cooked, REMOVE THE STEMS! 

The Japanese blanch their blossoms. Japanese Wisteria leaves boiled when young, seeds roasted, reportedly a chestnut flavor, leaves also used for tea. 

None recommended regarding the Japanese Wisteria. Also raw seeds are toxic. The toxin is a glycoside which is usually a sugar molecule attached to a nitrogen molecule or the like and is 
stripped off during digestion.” 

Visitors at the Sierra Madre Wistaria Vine - 2025. Our recommendation -Whatever you 
do, DON'T EAT THE WISTERIA - RAW OR COOKED!! MVNews 


EDITOR'S NOTE: 

Phyllis Chapman,(pictured on the right) 
was Sierra Madre's Historian and foremost 
authority on all things 'Wistaria', passed 
away in 2020.

The Vine is housed on private propertyand the owners have graciously allowed thepublic to view this historic landmark. The 
Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce, The 
City and Residents of Sierra Madre greatlyappreciate the genorosity of the homeownersfor allowing this event to take place every 
year. Now, on to Mrs. Chapman's Vine 
History:

 In 1894, William and Alice Brugmanpurchased a home on what was thencalled Piedmont, which is now called 

W. Carter Ave. The house had been 
built one year before by builder AmosTrussell for his daughter Winona andson-in-law Edward B. Jones when 
they married. It was the first weddingcelebrated in early Sierra Madre.
The Trussells and the Jones had a 
change of plans, sold to the Brugmansand moved away. To enhance her 
new home, Alice Brugman and herneighbor Mrs. W. B. Crisp, drove byhorse and buggy to the R. H. WilsonPioneer Nursery in Monrovia andfor $.75 purchased a gallon can ofwistaria. It was the Chinese Wistaria 
variety (Wisteria sinensis). She 
planted it in a corner of her front 
porch remarking to her neighbor:
“They say Wistaria grows fast.” Andgrow it did. 

Mr. Brugman, a mining engineer,
was in Mexico when the vine was 
planted. He died in 1899 and Mrs.
Brugman sold the home in 1906. Theproperty changed hands until it waspurchased in 1913 by Henry T. andEstelle Fennel. Mr. Fennel, who was 
a bit of a horticulturist, loved the 
vine, and gave it devoted care, evenbuilding support trellises. 

Although the Wistaria is a vigorousgrower, the added support of thetrellises may have contributed tothis vine’s phenomenal growth. Thearbors prevented the end tendrilsfrom hanging down and causing thetender terminal buds to die from the 
added weight. Wistaria requiresgood drainage, certainly providedby this hilly, terraced location. Theremay also be an underground springproviding water to the tap root. 

The vine eventually destroyed theoriginal home, growing into thewalls and fireplace and causing theroof to collapse. Mr. Fennel built anew home 200 feet to the north (thepresent upper home) and trained thevine to grow up to, but not coveringthe new residence. A portion of thefoundation of that original home wassaved to continue to provide supportfor the vine as its branches extended 
such a distance. 

When the vine was in bloom, the 
Fennels would invite friends to come 
and enjoy the blossoming plant.
Visitors also came from Pasadena’s 
main hotels: The Green, The 

Huntington, and The Raymond.
In 1918, the Fennels opened thevine to the Sierra Madre Chapter 
of the American Red Cross, 
which sponsored a very successfulfundraiser to help the war effort. 
12,000 people attended the event. 
This was the beginning of manyWistaria festivals that took placeyear after year. Sierra Madre becameknown as the Wistaria City. Manylocal organizations, including the 
Board of Trade (now the Chamber ofCommerce), the Woman’s Club, the 
Masons and Eastern Star, the Sierra 
Madre Volunteer Fire Dept., etc. wereinvolved. 

Many homemade items, fancywork, ceramics, artwork, gift books,
and Wistaria fragranced perfume,
hand lotion and bath salts were sold 
at booths under the vine. Luncheons 
and teas were served, often with 
young Japanese women wearing theirkimonos. 

The hard work and money earnedat the vine by the Woman’s Clubpaid off the mortgage of their firstclubhouse. One year the Fire Dept.
parked 30,000 cars on the parking lotthat existed in Floral Canyon. (Thisis now Sierra Meadow Dr.). Eastersunrise services were among vine 
activities. People came from all over 
the world and extra street cars were 
added to handle the crowds. Amongthe famous were Fritz Kreisler, Janet 
Leigh, Mary Pickford, and NormanRockwell. These two helped select thefestival’s Wistaria Queen. Packard 
Automobile Co. used the vine as a 

backdrop to advertise its automobile. 

On December 5, 1936, Carrie Ida 
Lawless purchases the vine property

(Continued on B2)

from Mrs. Fennel, who was now a 
widow, for $17,000.00. December 
5th was Mrs. Lawless’ birthday, 
and according to one account, she 
was making a present to herself ofthe world’s largest bouquet. Also awidow, her husband 

William J (Bill) Lawless was mayorof Sierra Madre during 1928


29. She, herself, was a successful 
businesswoman having founded 
the Weaver Jackson Beauty Co. inLos Angeles and was active in thecommunity, serving as president ofthe Woman’s Club and the Garden 
Club. 
Mrs. Lawless spent a small fortune(around $100,000) enhancing the 
grounds of her new property andcaring for the vine. When the 
festivals were held they often lastedfor the weeks the vine was in bloom, 
not just for one day. Mrs. Lawless, apatron of the arts, also sponsoredvine activities all year long. 

She hosted art exhibits, musicales, 
and poetry readings. Nearby residentsobjected to the constant activity andtook their complaints to the CityCouncil. Nothing was done as Mrs.
Lawless presented the argumentthat the vine existed before these 
neighbors purchased their properties.

In recognition for her contributionsto the community, the Garden Clubplanted another Wistaria in the 
terraced garden on the west side of 
what is today the Solt’s garden. Itblooms a bit later than the originalvine and the plaque commemoratingthe occasion is gone. 

When Mrs. Lawless died in 1942, 
she provided for the vine by leavinga legacy to her nephew and heir,
Bruce McGill, to continue care of the 
property with a committee headed bythe Garden Club President. In 1944, 
the property was purchased by Richardand Marian Thayer. Marian is thedaughter of M. Penn Phillips, a well-
known developer of desert property.
In 1944 the vine was overgrown andin poor condition. Richard Thayer 

SECTION B 

Mountain View News Saturday, March 21, 2026 

planned 
to chop it 
up and get 
rid of it. 
A protest 
was raised 
and an 

association 
was formed World’s largest flowering plant. It is 
to protect the vine, with money estimated that at the height of bloom 
provided to pay property taxes and it has 1.5 million blossoms with 40 
provide year-round care for the vine. blossoms per sq. ft., weighs 250 tons

and has branches that extend 500

In 1961, after Richard Thayer died, 

feet. Wistaria is a member of the pea 

the lot was split. Marian married 

family though its seeds resemble a

builder Ronald Cook who developed 

flat bean. Seed pods burst open in 

the west side of the property with 

the summer. The plant is deciduous,

homes and built the present Solt home 

losing its leaves in the winter. Wistaria

for he and Marian in1962. The upper 

seeds were brought from China by

home was sold to Joseph and Marie 

Marco Polo in the 13th century.

Feeney who raised eight childrenthere. In 1972, Ron and Marian sold Today, the vine covers approximately 
the lower home to Bob and Nell Solt. one acre. Over the years, it has shown 
In the late 1990s, Joe Feeney died distress and seemed to be dying. 
and Maria sold the property. It was Experts have been brought in from 
purchased in 2003 by the present Cal Tech, Occidental, and Cal Poly 
owners, Dan and Dana Dorrance. Pomona. Correct pruning, treatments

with hormones, and vitamin B have

By the 1970’s Vine Festival activity 

helped the vine to recover and to

had about ended. It started up again 

flourish. To help maintain the Vine’s

in the late 70’s when sponsored for 

health, records of vine growth and 

one day each year by the Chamber 

care are now kept on a computer 

of Commerce. The Sierra Madre 

log. The Vine seems to produce its

Beautification Committee was 

greatest flowering after a cold winter 

the yearly sponsor in the 1980’s. 

followed by a sudden hot spell.

Approximately 500-600 people 
attended the festival each year. In What is the correct spelling for 
the spring of 1989, Huell Howser wisteria—wisteria or wistaria? In 
came to film the vine for his program the Sunset Western Garden Book it 
Videolog, which aired on KCET. is spelled wisteria. Sierra Madre has 
The next year, approximately 6,000 always spelled it wistaria. According 
people came to view the vine. The to L. A. County Arboretum and 
festival organizers were unprepared Botanic Garden senior biologist Jim 
for such a turnout; lines stretched Bauml and Librarian Joan De Fato, 
for two blocks. Howser returned in the plant was named to honor Caspar 
1992 to film again for his California Wistar (1761-1818), an American 
Gold program. Sierra Madre and physician and teacher, who taught 
the Chamber of Commerce quickly at the University of Pennsylvania. 
organized and combined the annual Among his accomplishments, he 
Vine viewing with a downtown street wrote the first text-book on anatomy. 
fair. A shuttle bus is provided, and When the name of the genus Wisteria 
people procure tickets to see the vine was put into the books, it was 
at a pre-scheduled time. incorrectly spelled, says De Fato. So,

one could say that all along, Sierra

The Guinness Book of World 

Madre has correctly spelled Wistaria!

Records has named the Vine the 

Phyllis Chapman (above) was Sierra Madre's Historian and foremost au-
thority on all things 'Wistaria', passed away in 2020.