Content
Five-leafed maiden grape or Parthenocissus (lat. Parthenocíssus quinquefolia) is a tree-like perennial vine, which is a representative of the genus and family of the same name. As an ornamental plant, the crop is widespread in many countries of the world, as it is characterized by increased endurance and easily adapts to new conditions. Maidenhair grapes are widely used as an element of landscape design, as they are excellent for vertical gardening. It adheres well to steep surfaces, successfully masking all their flaws.
Five-leaf grapes can serve as a rootstock for decorative forms of culture
History of domestication
North America and China are considered the birthplace of the culture. Its Latin name comes from the words "partenos" and "kisses". The first means virgin, since this grape is capable of producing fruit without pollination, and the second means ivy, due to the similarity of the leaves. The cultivation of the liana took place in 1622 by local residents.But the plant began to gain popularity only in the 18th century, when it was brought to Europe. Thanks to the selection carried out, new varieties were obtained, the decorative value of which has increased significantly. This was the reason for the widespread use of this vine for landscaping.
Subsequently, the five-leaf grape spread throughout the world. And now it occupies a leading position as the main element for vertical gardening.
Description of girlish five-leaf grapes
Under favorable conditions, this plant reaches a length of 20-30 m. When grown in the northern regions, the size does not exceed 10-15 m. In the first years after planting, the development of the vine is slow, but later its growth rate accelerates. It is easily held on vertical surfaces due to branched antennae, at the ends of which there are sticky pads with a diameter of up to 5 mm.
The leaves are palmately compound, consisting of five segments. They are pointed and have serrated edges. The leaves of the maiden grape are dark green on top, on the reverse side they have a bluish tint, and with the arrival of autumn cold weather they acquire a rich reddish tint, which increases the decorative value of the vine. Five-leaf grapes flower for a short period of time. The buds open quickly and fall off after a few days.
After pollination, rounded fruits are formed, which when ripe acquire a dark blue hue. Their diameter is 5-7 mm. The berries of the maiden quinquefolia grape ripen in late summer or early autumn, stay on the branches for a long time and do not fall off. The fruits are inedible for humans, but are food for birds in winter.
Winter hardiness of five-leaf grapes corresponds to the fifth climatic zone
Flowering five-leaf vine
The flowers of the maiden grape are small, light green in color, collected in branched apical panicles with a clearly defined central axis. They appear on the vine in late spring. Each inflorescence consists of 80-150 flowers. They remain fresh for 3-5 days, and then the petals fall off.
The best varieties
Thanks to the selection carried out, decorative varieties of virgin grapes were obtained, distinguished by their unique leaf colors. This made it possible to widely use them for landscaping, combining them with each other, as well as combining them with green types of vines.
The best varieties of quinquefolia maiden grape (parthenocissus quinquefolia):
- Star Showers. The name of the variety fully justifies its leaf color, which consists of yellow-green chaotic strokes. With the arrival of autumn, the palette is also diluted with a pink tone. The size of the leaf plates of the starburst is two times smaller than that of the species vine. The variety can also be grown in small areas, since the maximum length of the plant's shoots is 5-8 m. Sometimes the five-leaf maiden grape may develop stems with green, uniform leaves, characterized by an accelerated growth rate. They need to be removed in a timely manner, as this reduces the decorative value of the vine.
American breeders worked on the creation of Starfall grapes
- Red Wall (Troki or Red Wall). The variety is of Polish origin. In the spring, after awakening after winter, young plates of a bronze hue appear on the shoots of this grape. As they grow, they turn dark green and remain that way until autumn arrives.And only with temperature changes do they subsequently acquire a bright red hue. The size of an adult vine of this decorative variety reaches 7.5-10 m, and the growth of the head is 1-2 m.
Grape Red Wall Forms a Dense Covering on a Vertical Wall
- Yellow Wall. A distinctive feature of this Polish variety is that with the arrival of autumn cold, its leaves do not acquire a crimson hue, but become bright yellow. But during the summer the plates remain dark green. However, they grow so densely on the shoots that they completely cover the stems of the plant.
At the age of twenty, the Yellow Wall variety reaches 14 m
- Murorum. The length of the shoots of this decorative variety of liana is 10 m. The five-leaved maiden vine Murorum creates dense foliage, evenly covering the object of decoration. Young growing shoots of this variety are reddish, and then they become dark green. In the middle zone, the plant begins its growing season in mid-May. The leaves have a serrate edge, narrow, elongated, dark green in color. With the arrival of autumn, their hue turns bright red or purple. Flowering occurs in July.
Liana variety Murorum tolerates polluted air well
Advantages and disadvantages
Maidenhair grapes have many advantages, so they are in great demand among professional landscape designers and amateur gardeners. However, this tree-like vine also has certain disadvantages.
The liana creates a dense cover on a vertical surface
The main advantages of this type of virgin grapes:
- unpretentiousness;
- high frost resistance;
- ability to quickly adapt to new conditions;
- high natural immunity;
- undemanding to soil composition;
- high decorative qualities;
- reproduces well;
- does not require complex care.
Flaws:
- when planted close to the house, the roots destroy the foundation;
- suppresses the growth of closely growing crops;
- deciduousness;
- late awakening of growth in spring;
- slow growth at the initial stage of development.
Planting girlish five-leaf grapes
The liana is able to fully develop in the sun and partial shade. However, it is worth considering that in well-lit areas the color of the leaves will be much brighter. The five-leaf maiden grape prefers nutritious, loose soil, but is undemanding to its composition. The main thing is that the soil is neutral or slightly acidic, and the groundwater level is at least 2 m. Five-leaf maiden grapes can be planted throughout the season if conditions are favorable.
Planting can be done with seeds or seedlings. Two weeks before this, you need to prepare the site. To do this, you need to dig it up, add humus to the soil at the rate of 5 kg per 1 m2 and smooth the surface well.
When planting seeds of the maiden quinquefolia grape, they must first be stratified. To do this, you need to soak it in cold water until it swells, and then bury it in a container with wet sand, cover it with film and put it in the refrigerator for two months.
Sowing seeds should be carried out to a depth of 1 cm, and seedlings should be buried so that their root collar is at ground level. After the procedure, carry out abundant watering using the sprinkling method. Five-leaf maiden grapes need to be planted so that the distance between the bushes is at least 2 m, which will allow them to fully develop.
The plant is not poisonous
Caring for girlish five-leaf grapes
This vine has a high level of vitality. Therefore, it is able to survive even in the absence of any care. But, if you pay a little attention to the girl’s grapes, the plant will become a spectacular element of vertical gardening.
Caring for the vine consists of periodic watering only during dry periods. In this case, moistening should be carried out in the root circle, soaking the soil to a depth of 20 cm. As the vine develops, its upper roots may become exposed, so they need to be sprinkled with nutritious soil.
In the first three years after planting, young ones need support. But after they have antennae with suckers, it must be removed. As weeds grow in the root circle, they need to be weeded, and the top layer of soil must also be loosened.
It is recommended to fertilize five-leaf grapes twice per season. The first feeding is recommended in the spring when the buds are breaking. During this period, it is necessary to use nitroammophoska at the rate of 30-100 g, and the second - in mid-summer with superphosphate 50-120 g and potassium sulfide 30-80 g. It is recommended to scatter granular fertilizer in the root circle, followed by embedding it in the ground.
In order for the five-leaf grape to look impressive, it is necessary to form the skeleton of the vine correctly. To do this, when the crown grows, starting from the third year after planting, it is necessary to correctly guide its shoots, fix them on a support and cut out competing stems above a healthy bud that interfere with the development of neighboring ones.The procedure must be carried out before they become lignified, so as not to weaken the grapes.
Periodic sanitary pruning is also recommended for the vine. It involves the removal of broken, dry stems that reduce decorativeness. This will prevent the girl's grapes from turning into sloppy thickets.
This vine does not suffer from diseases and pests. But in some cases, prolonged stagnation of moisture at the roots can lead to their rotting. Most often this happens at an early stage of seedling development. In this case, you need to loosen the soil, reduce watering completely and water the plant with a solution of the Maxim fungicide.
For the first three years after planting, young vine seedlings must be covered for the winter, since the plant acquires winter hardiness as it matures. Therefore, in late autumn, it is necessary to collect fallen leaves around the virgin grapes, and then insulate the root circle with a layer of humus up to 5 cm thick. The plant also needs to be covered with agrofibre on top.
It is recommended to prune five-leaf grapes in spring.
Propagation of girlish five-leaf grapes
To obtain new vine seedlings, you can use cuttings, layering, and root shoots. When using these propagation methods, the grown seedlings retain the species properties of the mother plant.
When using layering, it is necessary to lower the stems, 2-3 years old, to the ground in the spring and bury them along their entire length, leaving only the top on top. The depth of penetration is 5-7 cm.Throughout the season, it is necessary to control soil moisture, and when young shoots appear, they should be earthed up in a timely manner to form a strong root system. The next season, the stem with young shoots needs to be divided into parts and the seedlings planted in a permanent place.
For successful cuttings of five-leaf grapes, it is necessary to use semi-lignified shoots, which are recommended to be cut in late autumn or early spring. They need to be divided into parts 25-30 cm long, each of which should have 4-5 buds. The cuttings need to be planted in a loose nutrient substrate, deepened to 1/3 of the length. For successful rooting of seedlings, they need to be watered regularly and shaded from direct sunlight. If all conditions are met, the cuttings begin active growth after 30-40 days. You can transplant them into open ground when they are strong enough.
When propagating five-leaf grapes by basal shoots, it is necessary in the spring before the beginning of the growing season to disconnect the young shoots with part of the root and immediately plant them in a permanent place. In the future, you need to regularly water the seedlings until they begin active growth, which usually happens after 3-4 weeks.
Photos in landscape design
Five-leaf grapes are used mainly to decorate the facades of buildings and disguise unsightly buildings. The dense foliage of the vine can effectively decorate the yard, create shading in the recreation area and serve as a hedge, protecting the garden plot from street dust from the roadway.
Liana can be a real decoration for a gazebo
Culture also looks great as a “living arch”
Grapes help revive an unsightly fence wall
It can divide the area into separate zones
Inside the building, entwined with vines, there is a comfortable microclimate even in the sultry heat
Conclusion
Five-leaf maiden vine is an ideal plant for landscaping. It is enough just to provide it with proper care at the initial stage of growth and then periodically clean the vine from excess and damaged shoots, giving its crown a neat appearance. This ensured the wide distribution of the plant, since few garden crops can boast of the same qualities.
