King of the North Grape

Nearly black full flavored grape- quite tart until dead ripe. Outstanding for juices and jellies. Exremely vigorous and productive and disease free. A good choice for the uninitiated. A cultivar of unknown pedigree. This hybrid is a cross between Vitis labrusca and Vitis Riparia. It is a dark blue to black fruit, the clusters medium sized and the berries medium to small (depending on your thinning program). Generally the clusters are somewhat loose and conical and refrain from dropping. Yields are high. Ripens in Walden in mid September, but earlier in most of Vermont. This is the most productive and vigorous grape we have. Two unpruned specimens planted by the chicken coop here in Walden have grown over 25' tall and into the trees in just a couple of years. This is a good candidate for arbors, natural fences and hiding abandoned vehicles. If planting for production plant at least 8 feet apart, at least. The fresh fruit taste is a bit tart, but hands down they made the best jelly. I am a tart fruit lover so I gobble them up as is. Better fresh eating than 'Beta'. Unlikely to make a good wine due to the high acidity, though some have reported making a decent labrusca style wine. When fully ripened makes a flavorful juice. The vine is highly disease resistant. Cold hardy to zone 3, having survived at least to -35F. I have never seen winter damage on this cultivar since they were set out 23 years ago. ** The following states have import restrictions on grapes : ny, wa, or, id