Vitis x doaniana

Munson.

Vitaceae Edible: Fruit, Leaves

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

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Summary

A deciduous climbing vine reaching 10 m in height. Flowers from June to July with seeds ripening September to October. Hermaphroditic and insect-pollinated. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Grows in mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. Adapts to semi-shade or full sun and handles both dry and moist conditions.

Description

A climbing vine. It can be 5-10 m long. The fruit are berries that are round and black and up to 2 cm across.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The fruit is quite small but is carried in bunches, making it easy to harvest, and can be eaten raw, dried for winter use, or made into an excellent wine. Young leaves are wrapped around other foods and baked, imparting a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils can be eaten raw or cooked.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in sandy or alkaline soils. It is often near rivers and between 1,500-1,800 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

North America, USA,

Cultivation

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. Closely related to V. mustangensis. This species is a hybrid, Vitis acerifolia x Vitis mustangensis. Is this species no more than a synonym for V. acerifolia?. 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.