Vitis amurensis Amurensis

The Vitis amurensis 'Amurensis', the vine of the Amur River, grows in regions with a subarctic climate from the south of the Russian Far East to the north and east of China. It is a vine known for its extreme cold resistance, as well as its fabulous autumn colors. It is highly vigorous and produces a delicious but not very sweet blue-black grape, which yields a tannic and low-alcohol wine. The plant blooms in May-June and its fruits ripen in September-October depending on the climate. It is particularly suited to regions with long cold winters and short hot summers, thriving in deep, clay-limestone soil that is not too dry, in a sunny location. It is highly resistant to common vine diseases.

The vine of the Amur River, from the vitaceae family, is a climbing plant that grows in woods and shrub thickets, able to reach up to 8 m (26ft) in trees. Its distribution area corresponds to regions in China, Japan, Korea, and Siberia that experience a very harsh continental climate. It is an exceptionally robust plant, with rapid growth reaching heights of 6-8 m (20-26ft), with annual growth of up to 2 m (7ft). In spring, its red-coloured young shoots are decorative, as are the young leaves, which are fuzzy and slightly silver. Adult leaves are wide, ovate, with 3 to 5 lobes and can measure up to 25 cm (10in) in diameter. In autumn, the foliage turns red, scarlet, and purple before falling. This vine climbs using tendrils. It blooms from May to July depending on the climate. Its small yellowish-green flowers are nectar-rich, attracting bees and many pollinating insects. The fruiting takes the form of small clusters of grapes that turn blue-black when ripe. Each grape measures between 1 and 1.5 cm (0 and 1in) in diameter. They can be eaten as they are, but they are best prepared as jelly or jam. The fruits will be more flavourful and sweet if the plant is grown in slightly moist, clayey, fertile, and calcareous soil. A sunny and warm exposure is necessary for fruit ripening. The Vitis amurensis is naturally highly resistant to anthracnose, resistant to powdery mildew, and less susceptible to phylloxera than our Vitis vinifera.

Highly vigorous, the Vitis amurensis can colonise a trellis, a large wire fence, a hedge, or a pergola. It can be associated with golden hops or with the Coignet vine (Vitis coignetae), for example. This allows one to enjoy the beauty of its foliage, its autumn colours, and its lovely clusters of black grapes. They can be consumed as juice, or in a vitamin-rich fruit cocktail for breakfast. In China and Eastern countries, they are used in winemaking. In general, grapes are rich in vitamins B, a source of dietary fibre and manganese, and are well-supplied with antioxidants. To vary your enjoyment, discover our other grape varieties and climbing vines.