Catawba Grape
Vitis labrusca 'Catawba'
Vigorous, hardy, deciduous vine with bold-textured, deep green foliage. Grown for its medium-size clusters of round dull purple-red berries. Catawba grapes are well suited for jellies and juices, and for sweet white, red and rosé wines. Ripens late in the season.
| Botanical Pronunciation: | VI-tis |
| Key feature: | Edible |
| Plant type: | Vine - Requires Support |
| Garden style: | Mediterranean |
| Deciduous/evergreen: | Deciduous |
| Cold hardiness zones: | 4 - 8 |
| Light needs: | Full sun |
| Water Needs: | Once established, needs only occasional watering. |
| Average landscape size: | Fast-growing vine to 20 to 25 ft. each year. |
| Growth rate: | Fast |
| Special features: | Attracts Birds, Edible, Fall Color, North American Native Selection, Showy Fruit, Year-round Interest |
| Landscape use: | Espalier |
| Flower color: | Green |
| Blooms: | Inconspicuous |
| Foliage color: | Green |
| Item no.: | 7631 |
| Retailers for this plant: |
Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer. Provide support such as a trellis or arbor. Prune annually to control size. Pruning time: winter.
Design Ideas
Grapes can grow wherever there is direct sun and sufficient air circulation. They're traditionally trained overhead onto shade arbors over outdoor living spaces. Also popular for training along fence lines and up over arbor gateways. May be cultivated on standard wire trellis used in commercial vineyards.
Companion Plants
This northern grape variety belongs in fruit gardens with other equally hardy producers such as Northland Midseason Blueberry, (Vaccinium corymbosum 'Northland'), Heritage Raspberry, (Rubus idaeus 'Heritage'), Arp Rosemary, (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Arp') and Black Satin Blackberry, (Rubus ursinus 'Black Satin').
History
The European grape, Vitis vinifera is age old but limited to warm climates with a long growing season. To expand cultivation into northern states, breeders began working with a wild American native, V. labrusca which matured over a much shorter season. It is native from New England to Georgia with widespread adaptability in more humid climates. It was crossed with the European to produce the Concord grape and then this variety followed for home gardens.
Lore
It is believed that the European grape originated in Asia Minor, probably around Turkey, from a wild plant that produced small fruit. Over millennia it was selected for ever larger fruit to eventually produce the array of wine grapes cultivated today.
Vigorous, hardy, deciduous vine with bold-textured, deep green foliage. Grown for its medium-size clusters of round dull purple-red berries. Catawba grapes are well suited for jellies and juices, and for sweet white, red and rosé wines. Ripens late in the season.
Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer. Provide support such as a trellis or arbor. Prune annually to control size. Pruning time: winter.
Design Ideas
Grapes can grow wherever there is direct sun and sufficient air circulation. They're traditionally trained overhead onto shade arbors over outdoor living spaces. Also popular for training along fence lines and up over arbor gateways. May be cultivated on standard wire trellis used in commercial vineyards.
Companion Plants
This northern grape variety belongs in fruit gardens with other equally hardy producers such as Northland Midseason Blueberry, (Vaccinium corymbosum 'Northland'), Heritage Raspberry, (Rubus idaeus 'Heritage'), Arp Rosemary, (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Arp') and Black Satin Blackberry, (Rubus ursinus 'Black Satin').
History
The European grape, Vitis vinifera is age old but limited to warm climates with a long growing season. To expand cultivation into northern states, breeders began working with a wild American native, V. labrusca which matured over a much shorter season. It is native from New England to Georgia with widespread adaptability in more humid climates. It was crossed with the European to produce the Concord grape and then this variety followed for home gardens.
Lore
It is believed that the European grape originated in Asia Minor, probably around Turkey, from a wild plant that produced small fruit. Over millennia it was selected for ever larger fruit to eventually produce the array of wine grapes cultivated today.
| Botanical Pronunciation: | VI-tis |
| Key feature: | Edible |
| Plant type: | Vine - Requires Support |
| Garden style: | Mediterranean |
| Deciduous/evergreen: | Deciduous |
| Cold hardiness zones: | 4 - 8 |
| Light needs: | Full sun |
| Water Needs: | Once established, needs only occasional watering. |
| Average landscape size: | Fast-growing vine to 20 to 25 ft. each year. |
| Growth rate: | Fast |
| Special features: | Attracts Birds, Edible, Fall Color, North American Native Selection, Showy Fruit, Year-round Interest |
| Landscape use: | Espalier |
| Flower color: | Green |
| Blooms: | Inconspicuous |
| Foliage color: | Green |
| Item no.: | 7631 |
