Bush Grape
Vitis x doaniana
Family: Vitaceae
What it is like
"A named wild variety found by Munson in Willbarger Country, Texas. Stamens reflexed; cluster medium; berry medium, black; season early." Per Munson (see citation): "Plant: Climbing vigorously 15 to 30 feet when among trees, but bushy and ascending when without support...Leaves:...young leaves bearinga dense ashy felt appearing pale bluish in color; color of mature foliage dull dark green; texture thick, dense, leathery. Leaves on ground shoots of old roots 5 or more lobed. Cluster: Small to medium size, peduncle 2' to 4' long, compact, shouldered. Staminate much larger than the fertile; rachis and divisions more or less wooly. Flowers: Fertile, with short recurved stamens, small anthers, non-virile pollen, pistils short, thick; stile very short, stigma broad; staminate,-stamens ascending, medium in length, anthers large, bearing abundant pollen. Berries" 1/2' or more in diameter, round, black, with heavy whitish bloom; skin tough, pungent; quality good though a little pulpy; persistant."Reference: U.P. Hedrick. 1908. The Grapes of New York. unspecified pg. 501. In the wild, all species of Vitis are normally dioecious, but under domestication, variants with perfect flowers appear to have been selected. Bisexual or perfect flowers have both male (androecium) and female (gynoecium) reproductive structures, including stamens, carpels, and an ovary. Flowers that contain both androecium and gynoecium are called androgynous or hermaphroditic.
Vitis x doaniana is a deciduous Climber growing to 10 m (32ft 10in). It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 10
Where it is found
Sandy or alkaline soils, often by the sides of streams, 1500 - 1800 metres in New Mexico.
Southern N. America - Oklahoma and Colorado to N. Texas and New Mexico.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Fruit - raw or dried for winter use. It makes an excellent wine. The fruit is quite small but is carried in bunches and so is easy to harvest. Young leaves are wrapped around other foods and then baked, they impart a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils - raw or cooked.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 1
A yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
How it is grown
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.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. 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.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Climber
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist