Grape (Vitis lanata)
At a glance
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −6.7 °C
Cultivation
Prefers a deep rich moist well-drained moderately fertile loam. This species is not very frost resistant, it is unlikely to succeed outdoors outside the mildest areas of the country and will be best grown on a sunny wall even there. Plants climb by means of tendrils. Any pruning should be carried out in winter when the plants are dormant otherwise they bleed profusely.
Propagation
Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[K]. Six weeks cold stratification improves the germination rate, and so stored seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is obtained. Germination should take place in the first spring, but sometimes takes another 12 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant out in early summer. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, December/January in a frame. These cuttings can be of wood 15 - 30cm long or they can be of short sections of the stem about 5cm long with just one bud at the top of the section. In this case a thin, narrow strip of the bark about 3cm long is removed from the bottom half of the side of the stem. This will encourage callusing and the formation of roots. Due to the size of these cuttings they need to be kept in a more protected environment than the longer cuttings. Layering.
Edible uses
Fruit - raw or dried for winter use. Young leaves are wrapped around other foods and then baked, they impart a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils - raw or cooked. Sap - used as a drink. Do not harvest too much, though, or you will weaken the plant[K].
Medicinal uses
The watery sap from the stems is dripped into the eyes to relieve inflammation.
Material uses
A yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves.
Habitat
Found in hills to 1500 metres in the Himalayas.
Native range
E. Asia - China to the Himalayas.