Vitis saccharifera

Makino ex Matsum.

Vitaceae Edible: Fruit, Leaves - flavouring, Tendrils 7 iNaturalist observations

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

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Summary

A deciduous climbing vine with hermaphroditic flowers blooming June to July and seeds ripening September to October. Insect-pollinated. Accommodates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with well-drained conditions. Suitable for mildly acid to basic soils. Grows in semi-shade or full sun with preference for dry or moist soil.

Description

A climbing vine. It loses its leaves during the year. The fruit are small and black when ripe.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The small fruit turns black when fully ripe and can be eaten raw or dried for winter use. Young leaves can be chewed fresh or wrapped around other foods and baked, where they lend a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils can be eaten raw or cooked.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw or dried for later use.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Asia, Japan,

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a deep rich moist well-drained moderately fertile loam. Grows best in a calcareous soil. Succeeds in sun or partial shade though a warm sunny position is required for the fruit to ripen. Plants climb by means of tendrils. 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.