Description and types of plants, advice on reproduction, transplantation and feeding of grapes, features of care. Parthenocissus (Parthenocissus). The plant belongs to the Vitaceae family, which has about 10 representatives. They can shed their leaves seasonally or remain evergreen. The form is a liana-like shrub. The original homeland of its growth is considered to be the territory of central China, but its growing area covers the European, North American, East Asian regions, and can also be found on the mountain slopes of the Himalayas.
Some members of this family have antennae equipped with suction cups, with the help of which they can climb almost smooth steep surfaces. The leaf plates are divided into lobes and look like an open palm with fingers or three lobes. They are kept on long petioles. Some varieties are distinguished by a simple structure of leaf plates; in some varieties, the edges are marked by notches. With the arrival of autumn, the emerald color of the leaves begins to turn red and wine shades and this effect lasts until the very frost.
The inflorescences that form parthenocissus flowers are in the form of complicated brushes, which, located at the tops of the shoots, are panicles. Flowers are formed by both sexes and have functional stamens. At the time of rapid flowering, a large number of bees fly to flowers and the place where this vine grows is announced with a strong hum. After flowering, this grape bears fruit with small and unsuitable berries, which have a bluish-black hue and have from 1 to 4 seeds. The berry has a rich bitter taste and is quite poisonous.
Maiden grapes have a very rapid growth rate and can stretch their stems to a length of up to 3.5 m in a year. A feature of this type of grape is its resistance to frost. With the arrival of winter temperatures, it is not required to wrap it up and protect it from freezing. If you try to grow it indoors, then the flowering process is very rare, therefore good pruning is recommended.
With the arrival of spring days, the parthenocissus is in no hurry to awaken, and when all the plants are already developing rapidly, it just wakes up. With the arrival of frost, some species of this grape shed their leaves so massively that harvesting is very difficult.
Parthenocissus Care Tips
- Lighting. This grape can thrive both on the sunny side of the house and in full shade. Although some species do not withstand the hot midday rays and can react with burns on the leaves. In a very shaded place, the distances between the nodes will increase, and the vine will lose its decorative beauty. And for the best growth of parthenocissus, places should be selected so that the sun shines on the grapes in the morning or in the evening. It is also recommended to lower the temperature indicators with the arrival of the winter months to 12-15 degrees. If the plant is grown indoors, then it can be placed on the windows of the east and west exposure.
- Content temperature. Considering that bright sunlight can harm the grapes, then, for its better health, conditions should be created so that summer temperatures fluctuate within 17-27 degrees, and in winter they do not drop below 10 degrees. With the arrival of spring days, experienced gardeners recommend circumcising the parthenocissus, removing heavily regrown branches. If the temperature is frosty, it is necessary to inspect the roots of the grapes, if they are bare, then you will need to cover them with a layer of soil.
- Content moisture. Parthenocissus is not at all whimsical to air humidity and feels calm both in rainy times and during periods of drought. In the areas of its natural growth, the air humidity ranges from 55–65%.
- Watering. Due to the complete simplicity of watering the plant, there are no problems, there is enough moisture in the precipitation, but if the weather is hot and dry for a long time, then you should still water the parthenocissus. If the plant is grown in an apartment, then in the warm season it is worth watering twice a week, and with a decrease in temperatures outside, watering is greatly reduced, but it is necessary to prevent the soil from completely drying out in the pot.
- Fertilizing parthenocissus. With the onset of vegetative activity, the liana must be fed at half-monthly intervals with liquid fertilizers with a complex of minerals.
Features of growing parthenocissus
The branches of this type of grape require the creation of a support for them, in order to avoid breakage of the shoots. During the warmer months of the year, if the plant grows indoors, it is necessary to expose the pot with parthenocissus on the balcony or veranda, making sure that the dining sun does not illuminate the plant. In winter, dumping of the leaf mass is possible. A large accumulation of branches and foliage is not lightweight, and this must be taken into account when planting parthenocissus next to gazebos or walls of buildings; plastered walls of buildings or poorly made wall cladding may even become unusable. The vine with such force and density braids everything that comes in its path that wires, satellite dishes or antennas can also deteriorate. If the plant is not pruned, removing strongly overgrown branches, then the wires under the weight of all this mass can break. With its antennae, the parthenocissus bites into the loose surface of walls or coatings and it is very difficult to remove them from there. It is also possible that the old wooden elements of the cladding of buildings or gazebos will be destroyed. But, thus growing on the walls of houses, maiden grapes are able to protect them from rain streams or overheating on a hot sunny day, which can serve to increase their durability.
For transplanting, you can use ready-made soil with an acidity of pH 4, 5–8, 5. Maiden grapes, which are not demanding on the composition of the soil, still prefers a more nutritious substrate, based on:
- rotted leaf land, humus, peat land, coarse sand (in proportions one to one);
- humus land, sod land, coarse sand (proportions 1: 1: 0, 5).
When transplanting a plant, it is necessary to choose a pot with holes to drain excess water and spread 1–2 cm of fine expanded clay on the bottom.
Maiden grapes do not accept transplants well, but until the plant has matured, annual soil and pot changes are recommended, due to the very high growth rate of the shoots. As soon as a pot is selected, which with its diameter exceeds 30 cm, then you can limit yourself to changing the 3-centimeter layer of the upper soil. With age, the trunk of the parthenocissus becomes lignified and it is not worth planting many cuttings in one pot. If the plant grows in the open field, then transplants are not required for it.
Tips for Cultivating Girly Grapes
For reproduction of parthenocissus, seed material, cuttings and layering are used.
Cuttings of maiden grapes are used from cuttings of the stems, which are removed from the grapes during the planned spring cutting of elongated shoots, but cuttings cut in the summer show a great guarantee for rooting. If the cuttings are cut from the tops of the stems purposefully for rooting, then a not very lignified (old) shoot is selected, on which there should be at least 5 healthy kidney formations. These twigs are placed in the soil so that only 2 nodes remain above the ground, the rest should be located underground. Then the shoots of the parthenocissus are regularly watered, the ground should be constantly wet, but it is necessary to prevent severe waterlogging.
At home, parthenocissus cuttings can be rooted in a sand-peat mixture or in water. In this case, it is recommended to choose a shoot with 1-2 buds and at least 2 leaf plates (their length should be measured 10 cm). With further rooting, the cutting is wrapped in a plastic bag to maintain the required temperature (at least 20-22 degrees) and sufficient humidity. The young plant is regularly aired and watered.
For reproduction by layering, it is necessary to choose a branch that is longer, press it tightly against the soil (for example, with a piece of stiff wire) and sprinkle it with soil. After a while, root formations will appear in this place, and the young grapes can be planted, separated from the mother plant. Also, the vine can be bent in waves and also dug in - this is when part of the lash is in the ground, and part above the surface of the ground.
Seed material begins to be sown in the prepared soil at the end of autumn. This process of reproduction is rather slow; results can be expected no earlier than a year after planting. If the planting of parthenocissus takes place in a room, then it is necessary to maintain a sufficiently low (about 5 degrees) temperature, then seed shoots can be expected in about a month. Then the fallow trees are planted in the place of their constant growth. Soaking the seeds in room temperature water before planting will speed up their germination. Seed material does not lose its planting properties throughout the year.
Possible damage to parthenocissus by pests and diseases
According to some reports, maiden grapes are resistant to harmful insects and there are no problems with growing. But there are observations indicating that the parthenocissus can be affected by the scabbard, spider mite, mealybug. If the pests have covered the entire plant, then it is necessary to trim the infected lashes so that the length of the remaining branch is about 20 cm, the plant is treated with special insecticides.
If fungal formations appear on the leaf plates (the leaves are brownish), then this means excess moisture or a problem with musty air. Pale whitish spots on the leaves characterize sunburn. If the growth of the parthenocissus is not fast enough, there is a lack of nutrients in the soil and top dressing should be applied.
Parthenocissus species
- Parthenocissus attached (Parthenocissus inserta). Native habitat of North America. It can reach up to 20-25 m in height. The leaf plates have a complex shape and are divided into 5 palmate leaves (very rarely there can be 3). These leaves have an elongated-oval shape with a pointed narrow apex, they can grow up to 12 cm in length. The edge of the leaf has small notches, the upper surface of the leaf plate is rich emerald, the reverse side casts a paler color. The leaf is shiny on both sides. It is attached to any protrusions using antennae, which have at least 5 ramifications. There are practically no suction cups on the antennae or there are hardly distinguishable ones. Reproduction takes place using seed, cuttings or layering. It can easily survive in high air pollution. Fruits in 8 mm berries, which differ in bluish-black shades, and have a waxed coating and 3-4 seeds in the middle. The ripening process takes place from mid to late summer.
- Parthenocissus five-leafed (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The native territories of the growing season are the areas of North America. A fairly large plant, reaching up to 20 m in height. The leaf is divided into 5 parts, and each part is 2–4 cm long. The leaf has a marginal serration and a rather pointed apex. By the beginning of autumn, the leaf plates begin to acquire red-purple hues. Some varieties of this parthenocissus are successful because of their decorative appearance - the leaf plates are small in size and can be attached with their antennae-suction cups even to very smooth surfaces (for example, to glass). Antennae have branching from 3 to 5 branches, cling to the protrusions with suction cups, the shape of which resembles miniature discs. The berries can vary 6–8 mm in diameter, have a bluish tint with a black tint and a waxed surface. There are usually 2-3 seeds in a fruit, sometimes there may be 4 units. Fruiting is extended from early to mid-autumn. Reproduction takes place by cutting cuttings, seeds and soil layers. This parthenocissus is practically not susceptible to any diseases or pests.
- Tri-pointed parthenocissus (Parthenocissus tricuspidata). This species is very rare and therefore included in the Red Book. Native habitat of the territory of the Far East. The antennae are rather short and branched, with small suckers. Tri-pointed parthenocissus does not tolerate high frosts (only within -15 degrees), but it tolerates air pollution well. Fruits in 8 mm berries with a bluish-black tint and a wax-like surface, ripening from early September to mid-autumn. The leaf plates reach a length of up to 20 cm, they can take on simple or divided into 3 parts forms. The edge of the leaf is characterized by a large serration, the apex is strongly pointed and the entire surface has a glossy sheen. It has many decorative types, leaf plates, regardless of the season, are painted in purple shades. Propagated only by cuttings.
You can find more information about maiden grapes in this video:
