Amur River Grape A Fruiting Vine

The Amur River Grape is a deciduous climber, by way of tendrils, growing to 15m at an average rate of up to 2 m of annual growth. It is a member of the family Vitaceae genus Vitis, indigenous to Far East; China, Japan, Korea and Siberia.

This vine is very hardy, standing temperatures down to about -40°C. The leaves are large, lobed, 15-25 cm long that changes crimson in autumn. The flowers of the Amur River Grape are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by insects. It flowers from May to July.

This fruit bearing plant succeeds in sunshine or partial shade though a warmly sunny location is needed for the fruit to ripen. It favors a deep rich moist well-drained, reasonably fertile loam soil. The vine is best pruned in late autumn or winter before the start of the growing season or in summertime, after the new wood has turn partly woody. Differently it will bleed sap and could kill the plant.

The edible parts of the plant are the fruit - raw, cooked or as dried fruit or made into drinks. Dried fruit is usually kept for winter. Fruit is small, 1-1.5 cm, colored purple to black; with a good taste and makes terrific jelly. Young leaves can be cooked utilized as boiled vegetable. The leaves can also be rolled around other foods and then baked, they bring out a fine flavor. Young tendrils are eaten raw or cooked.

Propagation is by seed - best planted in a cold frame as soon as it is ripened; from September to October. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season, 15 - 30cm long, can also be used with just one bud at the top of the section. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.