Sierra Madre Wistaria Festival

Click photo to enlarge

Sierra Madre's

Wistaria Vine Festival

Sunday, March 30

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Vendor List

Webmaster's note: I actually shot this photo in my backyard. It is not part of the famous vine. For those pictures, see above.
Statistics (Estimates)

1.5 million luxuriant lavender blossoms
250 tons
More than one acre in size
500 foot branches
40 blossoms per sq. foot
Growth rate (per various experts) from 24" in 24 hours to 26" in 48 hours
Named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest blossoming plant in the world
Named one of the seven horticultural wonders of the world, along with the redwood forest in Sequoia National Park, Brazil's tropical jungle in the Amazon Valley, Mexico's Xochimilco floating gardens, India's gardens of the Taj Mahal, Japan's Yokohama rock gardens, and the gardens of Buckingham Palace

Wistaria is commonly spelled either wistaria or wisteria, but since it was named in 1818 for Caspar Wistar of the University of Pennsylvania to honor his contributions to science, it probably is properly Wistaria.

Sierra Madre's vine was planted by William and Alice Brugman. According to a letter from the Brugman's daughter, Emily Brugman Childs, it was originally purchased from the old Wilson Nursery in Monrovia in a gallon can for $ .75 in 1894.

The vine is of the Chinese lavender variety. It is a member of the pea family, even though its seeds resemble beans (shiny, flat and black). The seeds are said to have been brought to Europe by Marco Polo in the 13th century as prized treasures from the Orient.

H.T. Fennel bought the house in 1913, and built extra arbors to support it so it could cover the house. Photographs from the 1930s show that it did just that; eventually the roof collapsed and the house was torn down in 1931. The arbors were retained, and a new house was built 200 feet away.

In 1918, 12,000 people attended the first public Wistaria Festival.

In the 1930s, a 6-week Wistaria event took place, with more than 100,000 people making the trip to see the vine. Extra "Red Cars" were put on the Pacific Electric route to Sierra Madre to handle the crowds.

In the 1940s and again in the 1960s, at considerable expense, the vine required horticultural restoration, dry ice packs, three foot hypodermic needles with Vitamin B, hormone shots and more.

Through the years the vine has had many nicknames, among them Glorified Bean, Jack's Beanstalk, Queen of the San Gabriels, Lavender Lady, Sierra Madre's Treasure, and the Monster. The Sierra Madre City Council proclaimed 1994 as the Centennial Year of the Wistaria.

Stage/Band Sponsor ($1000)

RMD

Silver Sponsor ($750)

Southern California Edison

Bronze Sponsor ($500)

Jan's Towing

Bronze Sponsor ($500)

Southern California Gas Company

Entertainment Sponsor

Cafe 322

The 2008 Wistaria Vine Festival To Bring Thousands to Sierra Madre to See the

Art and Garden Faire features 175 Artisans

WHAT Viewing of Wistaria Vine: Annual Wistaria Festival and Village celebration; World’s largest blossoming plant

Limited handicapped parking on the southeast corner of Baldwin and Montecito. Baldwin Ave. north will be closed at Sierra Madre Blvd., so make a right, go to the first stop at Mountain Trail, go north (left) to Montecito, go left to Baldwin.

HOW For updated Wistaria Festival info., call 626-355-5111. For Wistaria Festival related questions, e-mail Wistaria Festival

Tickets: Required to enter vine-viewing grounds. Shuttle ticket serves as entry ticket, if not riding shuttle, walk-in ticket is required.

Note: Grounds are on private property; access incompatible for people with limited mobility; call 626-355-5111 for more information. Wheelchairs, strollers not allowed.