Vitis thunbergii
Siebold & Zucc.
iNaturalist· cc0
no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子
iNaturalist· cc0
no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子
Summary
A deciduous climbing vine growing to 5 m at medium rate, hardy to UK zone 6. Hermaphroditic flowers appear June to July with seeds ripening September to October, pollinated by insects. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage and mildly acid to basic pH. Requires full sun and adapts to dry or moist soil.
Description
A deciduous climbing vine growing to 5 m at medium rate, hardy to UK zone 6. Hermaphroditic flowers appear June to July with seeds ripening September to October, pollinated by insects. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage and mildly acid to basic pH. Requires full sun and adapts to dry or moist soil.
Edible Uses
The fruit, about 9mm in diameter and borne in bunches, can be eaten raw or dried for winter use. Young leaves are cooked, and can also be wrapped around other foods and baked, giving the dish a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils can be eaten raw or cooked.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant.
Where It Grows
Asia, Japan, Korea,
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 a poor doer at Kew, it grows weakly and suffers lots of die-back. Plants climb by means of tendrils. Any pruning should be carried out in winter when the plants are dormant otherwise they bleed profusely.Requires a sheltered position. 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
Vitis thunbergii
Vitis thunbergii
no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子
Canadian Moonseed: No tendrils, single crescent/moon-shaped seed, leaf stem attaches to underside of leaf.
Vitis thunbergii: Vine with tendrils, round seeds, leaf stem at edge of leaf, bark that peels.
Synonyms
References (4)
- Abh. Math.-Phys. Cl. Koenigl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. 4(2):198. 1846
- Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A., and Seberg, O. 2007, Flowering Plant Families of the World. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. p 334
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Williams, D., 2017, Ainu Ethnobiology. Contributions in Ethnobiology. Society of Ethnobiology. p 150
