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Vitis vinifera

Common Grapevine · European Grape · European Wine Grape · Wine Grape

Family VitaceaeGenus Vitis

Large, lobed and toothed yellow-green vine leaves with curling red tendrils
LeafGianni Del Bufalo bygdbCC BY 4.0
A plate of a grapevine: lobed leaves and curling tendrils on a woody stem, a green flower spray, a bunch of pale grapes, and cut flowers, berries and seeds around them.
IllustrationFranz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-PflanzenPublic domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
VineExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
lianaPlants of the World Online
Flower
Gold/Yellow, InsignificantExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
SpringExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
6-10Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, Loam (Silt), SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally DryExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • The oldest known winery, from about 4100 BC, was found in the Areni-1 cave in Armenia. There are between 5,000 and 10,000 grape varieties. Wikipedia: Vitis vinifera

This source reports 5 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 2, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 3 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 3 days.

100% germination in 1–3 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231Public domain
Show the original text
Vitis (Vitaceae). . V. vinifera germ. 70(47% in 10-14 d)4070(47% in 3-6 d) and 40-70(100% in 1- 3 d) using fresh WC seed. Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 70-40-70(85-90% in 2-6 d) and 40(20% in 11-12 w)-70(70% in 2-3 d). This is one of the few examples where anything approaching induced dormancy was observed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around April 5, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on April 4, 2026.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 days

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 12 months from start to step 5. Germination happens during step 5, in 6 days.

85% germination in 2–6 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231Public domain
Show the original text
Vitis (Vitaceae). . V. vinifera germ. 70(47% in 10-14 d)4070(47% in 3-6 d) and 40-70(100% in 1- 3 d) using fresh WC seed. Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 70-40-70(85-90% in 2-6 d) and 40(20% in 11-12 w)-70(70% in 2-3 d). This is one of the few examples where anything approaching induced dormancy was observed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 7, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 6, 2026.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 days

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    20 germinated in this phase.

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 3 days.

70% germination in 2–3 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231Public domain
Show the original text
Vitis (Vitaceae). . V. vinifera germ. 70(47% in 10-14 d)4070(47% in 3-6 d) and 40-70(100% in 1- 3 d) using fresh WC seed. Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 70-40-70(85-90% in 2-6 d) and 40(20% in 11-12 w)-70(70% in 2-3 d). This is one of the few examples where anything approaching induced dormancy was observed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 22, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

47% germination in 10–14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231Public domain
Show the original text
Vitis (Vitaceae). . V. vinifera germ. 70(47% in 10-14 d)4070(47% in 3-6 d) and 40-70(100% in 1- 3 d) using fresh WC seed. Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 70-40-70(85-90% in 2-6 d) and 40(20% in 11-12 w)-70(70% in 2-3 d). This is one of the few examples where anything approaching induced dormancy was observed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 30, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 6 days to germinate.

47% germination in 3–6 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231Public domain
Show the original text
Vitis (Vitaceae). . V. vinifera germ. 70(47% in 10-14 d)4070(47% in 3-6 d) and 40-70(100% in 1- 3 d) using fresh WC seed. Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 70-40-70(85-90% in 2-6 d) and 40(20% in 11-12 w)-70(70% in 2-3 d). This is one of the few examples where anything approaching induced dormancy was observed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Vitis p. 231. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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