Practical
Plants

Vitis cordifolia

Frost Grape

a deciduous member of the Vitis genus in the family Vitaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Vitaceae
Genus
Vitis
Foliage
deciduous
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
20 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw, cooked or dried for winter use[1][8][3]. They are said to be unpalatable until they have been touched by frost[1][2][13][7][9]. A spicy flavour[5]. Quite tasty[10]. The fruit is about 8 - 12mm in diameter[9] and is produced in fairly large bunches[11]. Leaves - cooked[15]. Young leaves are wrapped around other foods and then baked, they impart a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils - raw or cooked[15][16]. The twigs are a tea substitute[3].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Tea

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves[4].

Product or use
Dye

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
Southern and Eastern N. America - New York to Florida. Locally naturalized in Europe[14].
Habitat
River banks, bottom lands and rich thickets[13].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
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][9]. Grows best in a calcareous soil[9], doing well when lime rubble is incorporated into the soil[12]. Succeeds in sun or partial shade though a warm sunny position is required for the fruit to ripen[9]. The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. A very vigorous plant[9], climbing by means of tendrils[7]. It grows particularly well into elm trees[6]. The flowers are sweetly scented[12]. Any pruning should be carried out in winter when the plants are dormant otherwise they bleed profusely[7][9]. This species is often confused with V. vulpina[7]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  3. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩1↩2

  4. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  6. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩

  7. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  10. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩

  11. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  12. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2

  13. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  14. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  15. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  16. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩

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