Vitis

Vitis is a genus of about 60 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, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce wine. The study and cultivation of grapevines is called viticulture.

Description

Vitis species are most commonly found in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in North America and Asia with a few species extending into the tropical areas of Asia. Vitis species spread across the globe are used for wine making, for consumption as fresh fruit, and as dried fruit, or raisins.

Species

There are approximately 60 species of Vitis, including:

• Vitis vinifera, the European grapevine. Native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia.
• Vitis labrusca, the fox grapevine, sometimes used for wine. Native to the Eastern United States and Canada.
• Vitis riparia, the riverbank grapevine, sometimes used for winemaking and for jam. Native to the entire Eastern U.S. and north to Quebec.

Cultivation and uses

Most Vitis species are wind-pollinated. The fruit is a berry, known as a grape; in the wild species, it is 6 mm diameter and ripens dark purple to blackish with a pale wax bloom; in cultivated plants, it is usually much larger, up to 3 cm long, and can be green, red, or purple (black). The vines are long and are often trained on trellises or arbors.

See also

• List of grape varieties
• Grape disease
• History of wine