Vitis 'Ornamental Grape' facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vitis 'Ornamental Grape' |
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Fall colours
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| Genus | Vitis |
| Hybrid parentage | Vitis vinifera × Vitis rupestris |
| Origin | France |
The Vitis 'Ornamental Grape, also known as the ornamental grapevine or crimson glory, is a beautiful plant that does not grow fruit. It is a hybrid (a mix) of two different grape types: Vitis vinifera and Vitis rupestris. People grow this plant mainly for its stunning leaf colors, especially in autumn.
Contents
How the Ornamental Grape Began
This special vine was created in 1879 by a person named Victor Ganzin in France. He wanted to combine the good fruit qualities of one grape type with another type that could resist a tiny bug called phylloxera. This bug attacks the roots of grapevines.
Later, in 1963, this vine was brought to the CSIRO, a big science group in Australia. It was imported from a research station in Nuriootpa, South Australia and was sometimes called 'Tinto'.
What the Ornamental Grape Looks Like
The ornamental grape is a strong plant that loses its leaves in autumn (it's a deciduous vine). It grows very quickly. Its shiny leaves start with a coppery color when they are young. Then they turn greenish-grey. In early autumn, they change to amazing amber and orange. By mid-autumn, they become a brilliant scarlet or crimson red.
The leaves are usually whole, but sometimes they have three small lobes. They also have a V-shape where the leaf stem joins. This look helps show that it's a mix of Vitis vinifera and Vitis rupestris.
This vine can grow very tall, up to 32 meters high, and spread out about 3 meters wide. Like other grapevines, it climbs by using twisty little arms called tendrils.
Flowers and Fruit
The ornamental grape produces many clusters of male flowers. These flowers have lots of pollen and smell sweet. Most of the time, these flower clusters fall off. But sometimes, a few flowers can make tiny blackish fruits, especially if the weather is right.
These fruits usually don't stay on the plant for long. They taste bitter, but birds sometimes eat them.
Growing the Ornamental Grape
In Australia, people grow this vine because its leaves turn beautiful shades of red, scarlet, purple, and orange in autumn. It's very easy to grow new plants from cuttings (small pieces of the plant).
This vine grows well in many different climates. It can handle hot and dry places, cool and moist areas, and even subtropical regions. However, its leaves will get the best colors in cooler places that get a lot of sunshine.
The ornamental grape has been very popular in South Australia since the early 1900s. It is also grown in Mildura and other parts of Victoria and New South Wales. People often grow it over a pergola (an open structure) or along a fence.
Even though it's often called 'Ornamental Grape', nurseries might sell it under different names. Some common names include 'Crimson Glory', 'Glory Vine', 'Alicante Bouschet', or 'Teinturier'. In humid coastal areas, it can sometimes get leaf diseases caused by tiny fungi.
Gallery
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Leaves changing colour with season
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Trailing on trellis
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Growing on pergola
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Purplish red fall foliage
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Green leaves with emerging inflorescence
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Close view of the sweet-scented inflorescence
