Vitis | Grapevine

Vitis

The vitis genus could possibly be one of the oldest climbing plants to be cultivated, seeing as it is responsible for one of civilisation’s oldest pleasures – wine! The 60 or so species of plants within this genre have provided humanity with the perfect combination of shade, food and drink for millennia, and are rightly celebrated in western culture. Most species of vitis are to be found in the temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, such as Europe, North America and parts of Asia, although they are not unknown in the Tropical regions as well. The common wine grape, Vitis vinifera, was first cultivated in southern Europe and there are now many different varieties, such as Vitis blanc and Vitis pinot noir, from which we get red, white and rosé wines. Although grapevines are an innately pleasing sight, there are also species of vitis that are specially bred for their ornamental qualities, such as Vitis brant, with its leaves growing in lovely autumnal hues.