Wine Grape
Vitis vinifera
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kirgizstan, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Palau, Palestine, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
eflon (Alex from Ithaca, NY) (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Vitaceae
- Genus:
- Vitis
- Species:
- Vitis vinifera
- USDA Symbol:
- VIVI5
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Vine
- Height:
- 1700 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- green
- Food Forest:
- Contains edible parts
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★★☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Abbott's sphinx (Sphecodina abbottii), Achemon sphinx (Eumorpha achemon), Azalea sphinx (Darapsa choerilus), Beautiful Wood Nymph (Eudryas grata), Bedstraw Hawk-moth (Hyles gallii), Black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), black-headed fireworm (Sparganothis pilleriana), brilliant grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina brillians), Cerastis tenebrifera, Copper Underwing (Amphipyra tragopoginis), Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidoides), Cupid dart moth (Abagrotis cupida), darksided cutworm (Euxoa messoria), Distinct Lichen Moth (Achatia distincta), Dried fruit moth (Cadra calidella), Eight-spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata), Ephestiodes gilvescentella, Epimenis Moth (Psychomorpha epimenis), Euxoa scandens, Euxoa tessellata, Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Fig moth (Cadra figulilella), Grape berry moth (Endopiza viteana), Grape Leaffolder (Desmia funeralis), grape plume moth (Geina periscelidactylus), Grape root borer (Vitacea polistiformis), Grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina americana), Greater Grapevine Looper (Eulithis gracilineata), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Harrisina coracina, Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella), kidney-spotted minor (Lacinipolia renigera), Lacinipolia meditata, Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba), lesser grape root borer (Vitacea scepsiformis), Lesser grapevine looper (Eulithis diversilineata), Lettered Sphinx (Deidamia inscriptum), Mournful sphinx (Enyo lugubris), Mournful Thyris Moth (Thyris sepulchralis), Nessus sphinx (Amphion floridensis), Omnivorous Leafroller (Platynota stultana), Orbis Dart (Abagrotis orbis), Oxyptilus delawaricus, Pandorus Sphinx (Eumorpha pandorus), Pearl Crescent (Eudryas unio), Phyllocnistis ampelopsiella, Platynota nigrocervina, satellite sphinx (Eumorpha satellitia), sparganothis fruitworm moth (Sparganothis sulfureana), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), stored nut moth (Paralipsa gularis), toothed somberwing (Euclidia cuspidea), Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), Vine Sphinx (Eumorpha vitis), Virginia creeper sphinx (Darapsa myron), Virginia Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), Vitacea cupressi, Vitula serratilineella, Western yellowstriped armyworm (Spodoptera praefica), White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, bees
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow, red, purple
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Prefers calcareous soils in native regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require cold stratification for 2-3 months. Germination is often erratic and may take several months.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI