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''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
family
Vitaceae The Vitaceae are a family of flowering plants, with 14 genera and around 910 known species, including common plants such as grapevines (''Vitis'' spp.) and Virginia creeper (''Parthenocissus quinquefolia''). The family name is derived from the ge ...
. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of
grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus '' Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years a ...
s, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
. The study and cultivation of grapevines is called
viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
. Most cultivated ''Vitis'' varieties are
wind-pollinated Anemophily or wind pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by wind. Almost all gymnosperms are anemophilous, as are many plants in the order Poales, including grasses, sedges, and rushes. Other common anemophilous pla ...
with
hermaphroditic In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite () is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes. Many taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrates) do not have s ...
flowers containing both male and female reproductive structures, while wild species are dieceous. These flowers are grouped in bunches called
inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphology (biology), Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of sperma ...
s. In many species, such as ''Vitis vinifera'', each successfully pollinated flower becomes a grape berry with the inflorescence turning into a cluster of grapes. While the flowers of the grapevines are usually very small, the berries are often large and brightly colored with sweet flavors that attract birds and other animals to disperse the seeds contained within the berries.Wine & Spirits Education Trust ''"Wine and Spirits: Understanding Wine Quality"'' pgs 2-5, Second Revised Edition (2012), London, Grapevines usually only produce fruit on shoots that came from buds that were developed during the previous growing season. In viticulture, this is one of the principles behind
pruning Pruning is a horticultural, arboricultural, and silvicultural practice involving the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. The practice entails the ''targeted'' removal of diseased, damaged, dead, ...
the previous year's growth (or "One year old wood") that includes shoots that have turned hard and woody during the winter (after harvest in commercial viticulture). These vines will be pruned either into a
cane Cane or caning may refer to: *Walking stick or walking cane, a device used primarily to aid walking * Assistive cane, a walking stick used as a mobility aid for better balance *White cane, a mobility or safety device used by many people who are ...
which will support 8 to 15 buds or to a smaller
spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...
which holds 2 to 3 buds.


Description

Flower buds are formed late in the growing season and overwinter for blooming in spring of the next year. They produce leaf-opposed cymes. ''Vitis'' is distinguished from other genera of
Vitaceae The Vitaceae are a family of flowering plants, with 14 genera and around 910 known species, including common plants such as grapevines (''Vitis'' spp.) and Virginia creeper (''Parthenocissus quinquefolia''). The family name is derived from the ge ...
by having petals which remain joined at the tip and detach from the base to fall together as a calyptra or 'cap'. The
flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s are mostly bisexual, pentamerous, with a
hypogynous In the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule(s) and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the bas ...
disk. The calyx is greatly reduced or nonexistent in most species and the petals are joined together at the tip into one unit but separated at the base. The
fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
is a berry, ovoid in shape and juicy, with a two-celled ovary each containing two ovules, thus normally producing four seeds per flower (or fewer by way of aborted embryos). Other parts of the vine include the
tendril In botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape used by climbing plants for support and attachment, as well as cellular invasion by parasitic plants such as '' Cuscuta''. There are many plants that have tend ...
s which are leaf-opposed, branched in ''
Vitis vinifera ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, is a species of flowering plant, native to the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran. There are curr ...
'', and are used to support the climbing plant by twining onto surrounding structures such as branches or the trellising of a vine-training system. In the wild, all species of ''Vitis'' are normally dioecious, but under domestication, variants with
perfect flower Plant reproductive morphology is the study of the physical form and structure (the morphology) of those parts of plants directly or indirectly concerned with sexual reproduction. Among all living organisms, flowers, which are the reproductive s ...
s appear to have been selected. The genus ''Vitis'' is divided into two subgenera, ''Euvitis'' Planch. have 38 chromosomes (n=19) with berries borne on clusters and ''Muscadinia'' Planch. 40 (n=20) with small clusters. Wild grapes can resemble the single-seeded '' Menispermum canadense'' (moonseed), which is toxic.


Species

Most ''Vitis'' species are found mostly in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in North America and eastern
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
, exceptions being a few in the tropics and the wine grape ''Vitis vinifera'' which originated in southern
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
and southwestern Asia. Grape species occur in widely different geographical areas and show a great diversity of form. Their growth makes leaf collection challenging and polymorphic leaves make identification of species difficult. Mature grapevines can grow up to in
diameter at breast height Diameter at breast height, or DBH, is a standard method of expressing the diameter of the trunk or bole of a standing tree. DBH is one of the most common dendrometric measurements. Tree trunks are measured at the height of an adult's breast ...
and reach the upper canopy of trees more than in height. Many species are sufficiently closely related to allow easy interbreeding and the resultant interspecific hybrids are invariably fertile and vigorous. Thus the concept of a species is less well defined and more likely represents the identification of different ecotypes of ''Vitis'' that have evolved in distinct geographical and environmental circumstances. The exact number of species is not certain, with more than 65 species in
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
in particular being poorly defined. Approximately 25 species are known in North America and just one, ''V. vinifera'' has
Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...
n origins; some of the more notable include: #''
Vitis aestivalis ''Vitis aestivalis'', the summer grape, or pigeon grape is a species of grape native to eastern North America from southern Ontario east to Maine, west to Oklahoma, and south to Florida and Texas. It is a vigorous vine, growing to 10 m or more h ...
'', the summer grape, native to the
Eastern United States The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East C ...
, especially the
Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...
. #''
Vitis amurensis ''Vitis amurensis'', the Amur grape, is a species of grape native to the Asian continent. Its name comes from the Amur Valley in Russia and China. It is very resistant to frost, but is not tolerant to drought. Selections vary, but as a speci ...
'', native to the Asian continent, including parts of Siberia and China. #''
Vitis arizonica ''Vitis arizonica'' is a North American species of wild grape. It is a deciduous vine. Common names for the grape are Arizona grape, canyon grape, and uva del monte. Etymology ''Vitis'' is Latin for "vine", while ''arizonica'' means "of or fro ...
'', The Arizona grape is native to Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, New Mexico, Texas, and Northern Mexico. #'' Vitis berlandieri'', native to the southern North America, primarily Texas, New Mexico and Arkansas. Primarily known for good tolerance against soils with a high content of lime, which can cause chlorosis in many vines of American origin. #''
Vitis californica ''Vitis californica'', with common names California wild grape, Northern California grape, and Pacific grape, is a wild grape species widespread across much of California as well as southwestern Oregon.Jepson Flora''Vitis californica''/ref> The ...
'', the California wild grape, or Northern California grape, or Pacific grape, is a wild grape species widespread across much of California as well as southwestern Oregon. #''
Vitis coignetiae ''Vitis coignetiae'', called crimson glory vine, is a plant belonging to the genus ''Vitis'' that is native to the temperate climes of Asia, where it can be found in the Russian Far East, (Sakhalin); Korea; and Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku). ...
'', the crimson glory vine, a species from East Asia grown as an
ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...
for its crimson autumn foliage. # ''
Vitis labrusca ''Vitis labrusca'', the fox grape, is a species of grapevines belonging to the ''Vitis'' genus in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The vines are native to eastern North America and are the source of many grape cultivars, including Catawba, C ...
'' L., the fox grapevine, sometimes used for winemaking and for jam. Native to the
Eastern United States The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East C ...
and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. The
Concord grape The Concord grape is a cultivar derived from the grape species '' Vitis labrusca'' (also known as fox grape) that are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes. They are often used to make grape jelly, grape juice, grape pies, grape-fl ...
was derived by a cross with this species. #''
Vitis riparia ''Vitis riparia'' Michx, with common names riverbank grape or frost grape, is a vine indigenous to North America. As a climbing or trailing vine, it is widely distributed across central and eastern Canada and the central and northeastern parts ...
'', the riverbank grapevine, sometimes used for winemaking and for jam. Native to the entire
Eastern U.S. The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East ...
and north to
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
. #''
Vitis rotundifolia ''Vitis rotundifolia'', or muscadine, is a grapevine species native to the southeastern and south-central United States. The growth range extends from Florida to New Jersey coast, and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma. It has been extensively ...
'' (syn. ''Muscadinia rotundifolia''), the
muscadine ''Vitis rotundifolia'', or muscadine, is a grapevine species native to the southeastern and south-central United States. The growth range extends from Florida to New Jersey coast, and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma. It has been extensive ...
, used for jams and wine. Native to the
Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...
from
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
to the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United ...
. #''
Vitis rupestris ''Vitis rupestris'' is a species of grape native to the United States that is known by many common names including July, Coon, sand, sugar, beach, bush, currant, ingar, rock, and mountain grape. It is used for breeding several French-American hy ...
'', the rock grapevine, used for breeding of Phylloxera resistant rootstock. Native to the
Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
. #''
Vitis vinifera ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, is a species of flowering plant, native to the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran. There are curr ...
'', the European grapevine. Native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia. #'' Vitis vulpina'', the frost grape, native to the
Eastern United States The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East C ...
, from Massachusetts to Florida, and west to Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas. Treated by some as a synonym of ''V. riparia''. '' Plants of the World Online'' also includes:Plants of the World Online: ''Vitis'' (retrieved 24 December 2021)
/ref> # '' Vitis acerifolia'' Raf. # ''
Vitis aestivalis ''Vitis aestivalis'', the summer grape, or pigeon grape is a species of grape native to eastern North America from southern Ontario east to Maine, west to Oklahoma, and south to Florida and Texas. It is a vigorous vine, growing to 10 m or more h ...
'' Michx. # '' Vitis baihuashanensis'' M.S.Kang & D.Z.Lu # '' Vitis balansana'' Planch. # '' Vitis bashanica'' P.C.He # ''
Vitis bellula ''Vitis bellula'', commonly known as the beautiful grape or small leaf hair grape, is a Chinese liana (woody vine) in the grape family. It is native to the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, and Sichuan. The plant grows at altitudes ...
'' (Rehder) W.T.Wang # ''
Vitis betulifolia ''Vitis betulifolia'' is a widely ranging species of liana in the Vitaceae, grape family native to China (found in Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces) where its habitat is forested or shrubby valleys and hillsides, ...
'' Diels & Gilg # '' Vitis biformis'' Rose # '' Vitis blancoi'' Munson # '' Vitis bloodworthiana'' Comeaux # ''
Vitis bourgaeana ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, b ...
'' Planch. # ''
Vitis bryoniifolia ''Vitis bryoniifolia'' is a prolific and adaptable, polygamo-dioecious species of climbing vine in the grape family native to China, where it is known as ''ying yu'', or ''hua bei pu tao'' (North China grape). The variant form ''ternata'' is kn ...
'' Bunge # ''
Vitis californica ''Vitis californica'', with common names California wild grape, Northern California grape, and Pacific grape, is a wild grape species widespread across much of California as well as southwestern Oregon.Jepson Flora''Vitis californica''/ref> The ...
'' Benth. # ''
Vitis × champinii ''Vitis'' × ''champinii'', or Champin's grape, is a hybrid grape resulting from the natural hybridization of '' Vitis mustangensis'' with ''Vitis rupestris''. Its native range is the Edwards Plateau The Edwards Plateau is a geographic regio ...
'' Planch. # ''
Vitis chunganensis ''Vitis chunganensis'' is a species of climbing vine in the grape family native to China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces). In Chinese it is called ''dong nan pu tao'', or Southeast grape. Habitats in ...
'' Hu # ''
Vitis chungii ''Vitis chungii'' is a polygamo-dioecious species of wild grape native to China (in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Jiangxi provinces) where it is known by the name ''min gan pu tao'', or Fujian Jianxi grape. It is a forest inhabitant, 200–1 ...
'' F.P.Metcalf # ''
Vitis cinerea ''Vitis cinerea'', the graybark grape, is a variety of grape. It has small black berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone ...
'' (Engelm.) Millardet # ''
Vitis coignetiae ''Vitis coignetiae'', called crimson glory vine, is a plant belonging to the genus ''Vitis'' that is native to the temperate climes of Asia, where it can be found in the Russian Far East, (Sakhalin); Korea; and Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku). ...
'' Pulliat ex Planch. # '' Vitis davidi'' (Rom.Caill.) Foëx # '' Vitis × doaniana'' Munson ex Viala # '' Vitis erythrophylla'' W.T.Wang # '' Vitis fengqinensis'' C.L.Li # '' Vitis ficifolia'' Bunge # '' Vitis flavicosta'' Mickel & Beitel # '' Vitis flexuosa'' Thunb. # ''
Vitis girdiana ''Vitis girdiana'' is as species of wild grape known as the desert wild grape, coyote grape, or valley grape. It is native to southern California in the United States and to Baja California in Mexico.Vitis hancockii ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, ...
'' Hance # '' Vitis heyneana'' Schult. # '' Vitis hissarica'' Vassilcz. # '' Vitis hui'' W.C.Cheng # '' Vitis jaegeriana'' Comeaux # '' Vitis jinggangensis'' W.T.Wang # ''
Vitis jinzhainensis ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, ...
'' X.S.Shen # ''
Vitis kiusiana ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, ...
'' Momiy. # '' Vitis lanceolatifoliosa'' C.L.Li # ''
Vitis longquanensis ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, ...
'' P.L.Chiu # '' Vitis luochengensis'' W.T.Wang # '' Vitis menghaiensis'' C.L.Li # '' Vitis mengziensis'' C.L.Li # '' Vitis metziana'' Miq. # '' Vitis monticola'' Buckley # '' Vitis mustangensis'' Buckley # '' Vitis nesbittiana'' Comeaux # '' Vitis × novae-angliae'' Fernald # '' Vitis novogranatensis'' Moldenke # '' Vitis nuristanica'' Vassilcz. # ''
Vitis palmata ''Vitis palmata'' (common names are catbird grape, cat grape, and Missouri grape) is a New World species of tall, climbing liana in the grape family native to the south-central and southeastern parts of the United States, from Texas east to Flo ...
'' Vahl # '' Vitis pedicellata'' M.A.Lawson # ''
Vitis peninsularis ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, ...
'' M.E.Jones # '' Vitis piasezkii'' Maxim. # '' Vitis pilosonervia'' F.P.Metcalf # ''
Vitis popenoei ''Vitis popenoei'', commonly called the totoloche, or totoloche grape, is a New World species of liana in the grape family native to Belize, Mexico (Chiapas, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz, and eastern Querétaro), and north-central ...
'' J.L.Fennell # '' Vitis pseudoreticulata'' W.T.Wang # '' Vitis qinlingensis'' P.C.He # ''
Vitis retordii ''Vitis retordii'' is a species of vining plant native to Asia. The plant grows at an altitudes of and bears large grapes A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes ar ...
'' Rom.Caill. ex Planch. # '' Vitis romanetii'' Rom.Caill. # '' Vitis ruyuanensis'' C.L.Li # ''
Vitis saccharifera ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, ...
'' Makino # '' Vitis shenxiensis'' C.L.Li # '' Vitis shuttleworthii'' House # '' Vitis silvestrii'' Pamp. # '' Vitis sinocinerea'' W.T.Wang # ''
Vitis sinoternata ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, b ...
'' W.T.Wang # '' Vitis tiliifolia'' Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult. # '' Vitis tsoi'' Merr. # '' Vitis wenchowensis'' C.Ling # '' Vitis wenxianensis'' W.T.Wang # '' Vitis wilsoniae'' H.J.Veitch # ''
Vitis wuhanensis ''Vitis wuhanensis'' (known locally as ''wu han pu tao'', meaning Wuhan grape) is a tropical or sub-tropical, polygamo-dioecious species of liana in the grape family native to the Chinese provinces of Henan (far south, near Xinyang), Hubei an ...
'' C.L.Li # '' Vitis xunyangensis'' P.C.He # '' Vitis yunnanensis'' C.L.Li # '' Vitis zhejiang-adstricta'' P.L.Chiu There are many cultivars of grapevines; most are cultivars of ''V. vinifera''. One of them includes, Vitis 'Ornamental Grape'.
Hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
grapes also exist, and these are primarily crosses between ''V. vinifera'' and one or more of ''V. labrusca'', ''V. riparia'' or ''V. aestivalis''. Hybrids tend to be less susceptible to frost and disease (notably phylloxera), but wine from some hybrids may have a little of the characteristic "foxy" taste of ''V. labrusca''. The
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
word ''Vitis'' is feminine, and therefore adjectival species names take feminine forms, such as ''V. vinifera''.


Ecology

Phylloxera is an American root aphid that devastated ''V. vinifera'' vineyards in Europe when accidentally introduced in the late 19th century. Attempts were made to breed in resistance from American species, but many winemakers did not like the unusual flavour profile of the hybrid vines. However, ''V. vinifera'' grafts readily onto rootstocks of the American species and their hybrids with ''V. vinifera'', and most commercial production of grapes now relies on such grafts. The black vine weevil is another root pest. Grapevines are used as food plants by the
larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...
e of some Lepidoptera species.


Commercial distribution

According to the UN's
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
(FAO), 75,866 square kilometres of the world is dedicated to grapes. Approximately 71% of world grape production is used for wine, 27% as fresh fruit, and 2% as dried fruit. A portion of grape production goes to producing grape juice to be used as a sweetener for fruits canned "with no added sugar" and "100% natural". The area dedicated to vineyards is increasing by about 2% per year. The following list of top wine-producers shows the corresponding areas dedicated to grapes (regardless of the grapes’ final destination):


Domestic cultivation

Grapevines are widely cultivated by gardeners, and numerous suppliers cater specifically for this trade. The plants are valued for their decorative foliage, often colouring brightly in autumn; their ability to clothe walls, pergolas and arches, thus providing shade; and their fruits, which may be eaten as dessert or provide the basis for homemade wines. Popular varieties include:- * Buckland Sweetwater' (white dessert) *' Chardonnay' (white wine) *'
Foster's Seedling Fosters or Foster's may refer to: Places * Fosters, Alabama * Fosters, Michigan * Fosters, Ohio Television * The Fosters (British TV series), ''The Fosters'' (British TV series), a short-lived British sitcom that ran from 1976 to 1977 * The Fost ...
' (white dessert) *'
Muscat of Alexandria Muscat of Alexandria is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of ''Vitis vinifera''. It is considered an "ancient vine", and wine experts believe it is one of the oldest genetically unmodified vines still in existence.J. Robi ...
' (white dessert) *'
Müller-Thurgau Müller-Thurgau is a white grape variety (sp. ''Vitis vinifera'') which was created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882 at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute in Germany. It is a crossing of Riesling with Madeleine ...
' (white wine) *'
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
' (white wine) *' Pinot noir' (red wine) *'
Regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
' (red wine) *'
Schiava Grossa Trollinger, Schiava, or Vernatsch, is a red German/Italian wine grape variety that was likely first originally cultivated in the wine regions of South Tyrol and Trentino, but today is almost exclusively cultivated on steep, sunny locations in ...
' (red dessert) *'
Seyval blanc Seyval blanc (or Seyve-Villard hybrid number 5276winepros.com.au ) is a hybrid wine grape variety used to make white wines. Its vines ripen early, are productive and are suited to fairly cool climates. Seyval blanc is grown mainly in England,win ...
' (white wine) The following varieties have gained the
Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...
's Award of Garden Merit:- *'Boskoop Glory' (dessert/wine) *'Brant' (black dessert) *'Claret Cloak' or 'Frovit' (ornamental) *'New York Muscat' (black dessert) *'Purpurea' (ornamental)


Uses

The fruit of several ''Vitis'' species are grown commercially for consumption as fresh grapes and for fermentation into
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
. ''Vitis vinifera'' is the most important such species. The leaves of several species of grapevine are edible and are used in the production of dolmades and Vietnamese lot leaves.


Culture

The grapevine (typically ''Vitis vinifera'') has been used as a symbol since ancient times. In
Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...
,
Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Roma ...
(called
Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...
by the
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
) was god of the vintage and, therefore, a grapevine with bunches of the fruit are among his attributes. His attendants at the
Bacchanalia The Bacchanalia were unofficial, privately funded popular Roman festivals of Bacchus, based on various ecstatic elements of the Greek Dionysia. They were almost certainly associated with Rome's native cult of Liber, and probably arrived in Rome ...
n festivals hence had the vine as an attribute, together with the
thyrsus A thyrsus /ˈθɜːrsəs/ or thyrsos /ˈθɜːrˌsɒs/ (Ancient Greek: θύρσος) was a wand or staff of giant fennel ('' Ferula communis'') covered with ivy vines and leaves, sometimes wound with taeniae and topped with a pine cone, arti ...
, the latter often entwined with vine branches. For the same reason, the Greek wine cup ( cantharos) is commonly decorated with the vine and grapes, wine being drunk as a
libation A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid, or grains such as rice, as an offering to a deity or spirit, or in memory of the dead. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in cultures today. Various substanc ...
to the god. The grapevine has a profound symbolic meaning in Jewish tradition and culture since antiquity.Wulkan, Reba, "The Grape and the Vine: A Motif in Contemporary Jewish Textiles" (1998). Textile Society of America Symposium Proceedings. 217. It is referenced 55 times in the
Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' It is regarded as one of the Seven Species, and is employed several times in the Bible as a symbol of the
Israelites The Israelites (; , , ) were a group of Semitic-speaking tribes in the ancient Near East who, during the Iron Age, inhabited a part of Canaan. The earliest recorded evidence of a people by the name of Israel appears in the Merneptah Stele o ...
as the
chosen people Throughout history, various groups of people have considered themselves to be the chosen people of a deity, for a particular purpose. The phenomenon of a "chosen people" is well known among the Israelites and Jews, where the term ( he, עם ס ...
., The grapevine has a prominent place in Jewish rituals: the wine was given a special blessing, "creator of the fruit of the vine", and the Kiddush blessing is recited over wine or grape juice on Shabbat and
Jewish holidays Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainstre ...
. It is also employed in various parables and sayings in rabbinic literature. According to
Josephus Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for '' The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly ...
and the
Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; he, מִשְׁנָה, "study by repetition", from the verb ''shanah'' , or "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions which is known as the Oral Tor ...
, a golden vine was hung over the inner chamber of the Second Temple. The grapevine is featured on Hasmonean and Bar Kokhba revolt coinage, and as a decoration in mosaic floors of ancient synagogues. In Christian iconography, the vine also frequently appears. It is mentioned several times in the
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...
. We have the parable of the kingdom of heaven likened to the father starting to engage laborers for his vineyard. The vine is used as symbol of
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
based on his own statement, "I am the true vine (John 15:1)." In that sense, a vine is placed as sole symbol on the tomb of Constantia, the sister of
Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...
, and elsewhere. In
Byzantine art Byzantine art comprises the body of Christian Greek artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited culturally from the empire. Though the empire itself emerged from the decline of Rome and lasted u ...
, the vine and grapes figure in early
mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
s, and on the throne of
Maximianus of Ravenna Maximianus of Ravenna, or Maximian (499 – February 22, 556; feast day formerly February 21) was bishop of Ravenna in Italy. Ravenna was then the capital of the Byzantine Empire's territories in Italy, and Maximianus's role may have inclu ...
it is used as a decoration. The vine and
wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
ear An ear is the organ that enables hearing and, in mammals, body balance using the vestibular system. In mammals, the ear is usually described as having three parts—the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear consists of ...
have been frequently used as symbol of the blood and flesh of Christ, hence figuring as symbols (bread and wine) of the
Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
and are found depicted on ostensories. Often the symbolic vine laden with grapes is found in ecclesiastical decorations with animals biting at the grapes. At times, the vine is used as symbol of temporal blessing. In
Mandaeism Mandaeism ( Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ ; Arabic: المندائيّة ), sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnostic, monotheistic and ethnic religion. Its adherents, the Mandaeans, revere Adam, Abel ...
,
uthra An uthra or ʿutra ( myz, ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ; plural: ʿutri) is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath translate it as "excellency". Jorunn J. Buckley defines them as "Lightworld beings, called 'u ...
s (angels or celestial beings) are often described as personified grapevines ().


See also

*
Vine staff __NOTOC__ The vine staff, vine-staff, or centurion's staff ( la, vitis) was a vinewood rod of about in length used in the ancient Roman Army and Navy. It was the mark and tool of the centurion: both as an implement in the direction of drill and ...
*
Annual growth cycle of grapevines The annual growth cycle of grapevines is the process that takes place in the vineyard each year, beginning with bud break in the spring and culminating in leaf fall in autumn followed by winter dormancy. From a winemaking perspective, each step ...
*
Old vine Old or OLD may refer to: Places * Old, Baranya, Hungary * Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, ...


References


Notes


Citations


Further reading

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External links

* *
List of 48 descriptors
defined in the GRAPEGEN06 project (selected from the 151 OIV descriptors published in June 2007) {{Authority control Vitaceae genera Vines . Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Extant Selandian first appearances