Vitis romanetii
Romanet ex Foex.
Black grape
gbif· cc0
President and Fellows of Harvard College
gbif· cc0
President and Fellows of Harvard College
gbif· cc0
President and Fellows of Harvard College
Summary
Source: WikipediaA deciduous climbing vine reaching 10 m, hardy to UK zone 6 and frost-hardy. Flowers June to July with seeds ripening September to October. Hermaphroditic and insect-pollinated. Requires light sandy, medium loamy, or heavy clay soil with good drainage; tolerates mildly acid to mildly alkaline pH. Requires full sun and cannot tolerate shade; prefers dry or moist soil.
Description
A woody creeper. It grows vigorously. It climbs over thickets. The young branches are hairy and bristly. They are purplish when young. The leaves are oval and have 3 or 5 lobes. The leaves are 9-20 cm long by 8-14 cm wide. There are teeth along the edge. The base is heart shaped. The flowers are greenish-yellow. They grow in groups up to 25 cm long. The fruit are round berries 1 cm across. The are purple-black.
Edible Uses
The fruit, 8–12mm in diameter and borne in small bunches, can be eaten raw or dried for winter use. Young leaves are wrapped around other foods and baked, giving the dish a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils can be eaten raw or cooked.
Traditional Uses
The fruit are eaten and also used for making wine.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant. It grows in shrubland and hillsides between 100-1,500 m above sea level. In Sichuan.
Where It Grows
Asia, China*, Laos, SE Asia,
Cultivation
Prefers a deep rich moist well-drained moderately fertile loam. Grows best in a calcareous soil. Requires a position in full sun. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country. Young growths and thin wood can be cut back by frosts. Plants climb by means of tendrils. Closely related to V. davidii. Plants are rather tender in Britain when they are young, though older plants are hardy in most parts of the country. Any pruning should be carried out in winter when the plants are dormant otherwise they bleed profusely. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.
Propagation
Seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Six weeks of cold stratification improves germination, so stored seed should also be sown in a cold frame as soon as it is obtained. Germination usually occurs in the first spring, but may take another 12 months. Prick out seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle, grow on in a cold frame through their first winter, then plant out in early summer. Cuttings of mature wood from the current season's growth can be taken in December or January and rooted in a frame. These can be 15–30cm long, or short single-bud sections around 5cm long. For the shorter sections, remove a thin strip of bark about 3cm long from the lower half of one side to encourage callusing and root formation — these smaller cuttings need a more sheltered environment than the longer ones. Layering is also an option.
Other Uses
A yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves.
Notes
There are 60 to 70 species of Vitis.
Dangerous Lookalikes
This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.
Canadian Moonseed
Menispermum canadense
Cbaile19
Black grape
Vitis romanetii
President and Fellows of Harvard College
Canadian Moonseed: No tendrils, single crescent/moon-shaped seed, leaf stem attaches to underside of leaf.
Black grape: Vine with tendrils, round seeds, leaf stem at edge of leaf, bark that peels.
References (4)
- Hu, Shiu-ying, 2005, Food Plants of China. The Chinese University Press. p 536
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Rev. Hort. 55:53. 1883 "romaneti"
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
