Tabitha Masher, age 16, of Cumberland, Md., tot her question:

HOW DID THE WISTERIA GET ITS NAME?

Wisteria is the name of a vine found growing oven fences and on trellises that is covered with long, graceful clusters of purple, blue, lavender oz white flowers. The plant, also called the wistaria, was named after a famous American scientist named Caspar  wistax.

The wisteria is considered sacred in Japan. There the blue flowers are more honored than those of other colors or white.

Individual wisteria blossoms are fragrant and are shaped like the pea blossom. The leaves are divided into many leaflets.

Wisteria vines can be grown from seeds or cuttings. The best are those that are produced by grafting healthy and handy stock on strong roots.

The wisteria species found mostly in the United States is a native of China. But there is also a wild American type that is sometimes called the kidney bean tree. Its flower clusters are shorter than those of the Oriental types, but they are fragrant and beautiful.