About
Reliable, widley grown, purple-black dessert grape for cultivation in an unheated greenhouse producing high yields of sweet, juicy purple-black grapes in late summer and early autumn.
About the genus
Vitis are vigorous deciduous climbing shrubs with tendrils and attractively lobed leaves, insignificant green flowers followed by often edible fruits; some have excellent autumn foliage colour
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAlkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible, Conservatory Greenhouse
HabitClimbing
FoliageDeciduous
Height8-12 metres
Spreadwider than 8 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesMediterranean climate plants
ToxicityPets (dogs): Harmful if eaten whether fruits are edible or ornamental - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow indoors in a greenhouse or conservatory to produce good yields of fruit, for detailed advice see indoor grape cultivation
PruningPruning is required to encourage flowering and fruiting, and to increase air circulation and so reduce the risk of disease: see grape pruning and training
PropagationPropagate by hardwood cuttings in late autumn or winter, or by softwood cuttings or semi-ripe cuttings from late spring to midsummer or grafting onto Phylloxera resistant rootstocks
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to grapevine blister mite, glasshouse red spider mite, brown scale, woolly vine scale and spotted wing drosophila (fruit fly) and may be susceptible to mealybugs under glass
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to Powdery mildews, grey moulds, honey fungus and virus diseases. For further advice see grapevine diseases