Vitis berlandieri
Spanish Grape
a deciduous member of the Vitis genus in the family Vitaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit - raw or dried for winter use[2][4]. A rich pleasant flavour[7][6]. The fruit is rather small, but it is borne in very large clusters[7]. It has a slightly bitter flavour, but is pleasant when fully ripe[8]. Young leaves are wrapped around other foods and then baked, they impart a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils - raw or cooked.
- Plant part
- Fruit
- Plant part
- Leaves
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Used as a rootstock[6]. A yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves[3].
- Product or use
- Dye
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Climber
Environment
- Range
- Southern N. America - Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
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.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a deep rich moist well-drained moderately fertile loam[1][8]. Grows best in a calcareous soil[8]. Succeeds in sun or partial shade though a warm sunny position is required for the fruit to ripen[8]. Plants climb by means of tendrils[5]. Any pruning should be carried out in winter when the plants are dormant otherwise they bleed profusely[5][8]. This species is used in breeding programmes for improved grape cultivars[6]. It produces very large clusters of remarkably small fruits[7]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[8].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm