The most beautiful ornamental wines for the garden - we will introduce you to the genuine wild wine, the virgin vine and the scarlet wine and give tips on correct planting and care.
The noble vines (Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera) cultivated in wine-growing regions provide table grapes and are processed into wine or juice. But did you know that there are also beautiful ornamental vine plants? They are suitable as privacy screens and for greening walls, especially because of the impressive autumn colors of the foliage. With us you can read everything about the most beautiful ornamental wines, as well as how ornamental wine can be planted, cultivated, the cultivation of ornamental wine on the balcony and which ornamental wine without grapes there is.
Ornamental wine: what is it and what is it used for?
The so-called ornamental wines are more or less closely related to the noble grapevine via the grapevine family (Vitaceae). A distinction can be made between different genera: Wild grapevine (Parthenocissus), also called virgin vine or fence vine, wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris), also known as Wild Vine or True Virginia Creeper, and Scarlet Vine (Vitis coignetiae), also known as Rusty Vine or Japanese Ornamental Vine is.
Compared to their relatives used in viticulture, ornamental wines hardly ever bear grapes, but they do have a pretty dress of leaves. They are therefore used in many places for greening house walls, walls and fences, as well as for shading terraces and balconies. The ornamental wine grows naturally on trees and can reach a considerable size and weight. Scaffolding and trellis should be designed to accommodate the growth of the plant and be able to support the weight of the ornamental vine.
Planting ornamental vines
Planting the ornamental vine is generally quite uncomplicated and ideally takes place between March and October. A sunny to partially shaded location is important for the wine. The soil requirements of the ornamental wines are rather low and the plants can adapt to both sandy and loamy soils. Only soil that is too wet can damage the wine in the long term. However, a nutrient-rich, neutral to alkaline and rather permeable soil is advantageous for most ornamental wines when they are young, otherwise it grows more slowly. The ornamental wine is also not dependent on wind protection, on the contrary: it also grows well in wind-exposed locations and can even be grown on a trellis as a natural wind protection. Virginia creeper generally tolerates the winter well and mature vines are certainly hardy down to around -20 °C.
Tip: Wild wine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) loves fresh to damp soil - so care should be taken to ensure its water supply.
Dig a sufficiently large planting hole with a diameter of at least 50 cm and a depth of 50 cm for the plant. The root ball of potted plants can be scored slightly with a knife to promote branching before the vine is placed in the planting hole at an angle in the direction of the later trellis. Then the hole is filled up again. In very heavy soils, it is advisable to mix in plenty of sand and potting compost for better drainage, while sandy soils are supplemented with some good quality soil to help the young plants take root. In addition, growth after planting is promoted by fresh substrate, so that a strong plant develops right from the start. Our Plantura organic universal soil, for example, is suitable for this. Its composition of compost, wood fiber and primarily organic fertilizer is well suited for ornamental wine.
Because the ornamental wine loves lime, it is also advisable to mix in a dose of lime. Well mixed with the existing garden soil, the soil offers optimal conditions for he althy plant growth. The soil is trampled down to create the ground closure without straining the fine roots too much. Thorough watering and keeping moist allow the ornamental wine to grow well. In the beginning, young tendrils should be regularly brought up to the climbing aid and attached to it.
Wild Wine: Cultivate andCut back
During the growth phase, it is particularly advisable to fertilize ornamental vines in pots. Ornamental vines planted outdoors are usually well supplied by the mineral subsoil and the rain and therefore do not require additional fertilization. Plant growth can be supported in particular by the application of a long-term fertilizer when new growth occurs in April and a renewed application in mid-July. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer can be used for this, for example, which promotes he althy soil life and thus robust root growth and good nutrient utilization thanks to the high proportion of organic starting materials. Thanks to its long-term effectiveness, fertilizing once or twice a year is completely sufficient. The further care of ornamental wine is limited: a shape or thinning cut in late summer is tolerated just as well as a radical pruning during the dormant phase in winter, so that the ornamental wine can be kept well in check.
Ornamental wine as a privacy screen on the balcony: An ornamental wine like the Vitis vinifera can also be established in a bucket on the balcony. You can lead it up there on a trellis and use it as a privacy screen. However, care should be taken to ensure that there is sufficient space, as ornamental wine can also grow very large in a vessel. Young plants can be placed in a 30 by 30 cm pot and transplanted into a larger pot every two to three years. Place a drainage layer of expanded clay or coarse gravel in the pot, as the ornamental vine does not tolerate standing water well, before you fill the container with a high-quality and well-aerated soil such as our Plantura organic universal soil. Two thirds of soil mixed with about one third of sand result in the optimal soil conditions for the ornamental wine. Along a trellis, nothing stands in the way of the growth of the ornamental wine as a privacy screen, provided that regular fertilizing and watering is taken care of.
The best ornamental wine genera and species for the garden
The different genera and types of ornamental vine are wonderful for greening house walls, walls etc., but sometimes differ greatly in appearance and growth. We present the most beautiful genera and species at a glance:
Real Virginia creeper (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris)
The archetype of the modern noble grape vine is largelyAlmost extinct in Europe today and is also considered to be threatened with extinction in Germany. Wild plants can only be found in the alluvial forests of the Upper Rhine region. According to these criteria, a slightly damp, partially shaded location should be chosen for planting the wild wine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris). Climbing ornamental vines are excellent for greening walls and form hand-sized, lush green foliage, which usually turns yellow in autumn, and even bright red if there is a lot of sunlight. The leaves are 3 to 5 fingered or lobed with a white style bay and are shed in autumn, so the plant is summer green. Old plants climb between 3 and 10 m in height with their thin leaf tendrils and show a longitudinally fibrous, conspicuous bark. The genuine wild wine grapes, which are no more than 10 mm in size, hang on loose infructescences and turn blue-black as they ripen. In contrast to the noble grapevine, the flower of the original form is mostly dioecious, which means that male and female flowers are not on the same but on different plants. In order for fruit to develop, a female and a male specimen must be present. The white flowers bloom between June and July.
Is wild grapevine poisonous or edible? Wild grapevine is safe to eat. The small, black grapes have a slightly sour taste, but are perceived as very pleasant.
Virgin (Parthenocissus)
The virgin vine, originally from North America and the temperate latitudes of Asia, is considered a neophyte in Germany. It differs from the genuine Virginia creeper in a few points: it forms hermaphrodite flowers and, thanks to disc-shaped adhesive organs, can also climb up rather smooth surfaces. Their leaves are entire, simple and lobed or fingered in 3 to 7 folds. The inflorescences of the virgin vine are much more branched than those of the wild wine, their bluish-black berries are quite similar. Under good conditions, the plant grows to a height of about 15, more rarely up to 20 m. The spiny vine sheds its leaves in autumn and is therefore only deciduous. These species and varieties are to be highlighted:
- Three Spiked Maidenhair (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) ˈVeitchiiˈ: Also known as Three Spiked Maidenhair; Annual growth of up to 2.5 m; particularly changeable play of colorstrilobed leaves ranging from bronze during bud break to deciduous to reds and oranges in fall; yellowish-green flower; strong contrast between deep blue berries and autumnal red style; climbs well on walls, fences or a pergola.
- Engelmann's Wine (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) ˈEngelmanniiˈ: Grows only about 0.5 to 1 m per year; forms long, narrow, regularly serrated leaves with reddish leaf stalks up to 15 cm long; dark blood red to fiery red autumn colour.
Is the maidenhair vine poisonous or edible? The maidenhair vine is purely an ornamental plant. Its fruits contain a high proportion of oxalic acid, which in large quantities can cause mild symptoms of poisoning in humans and animals, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Birds like to eat the berries.
Tip: Exposure to the sun has a decisive influence on the autumn leaf color of all ornamental vines and other deciduous trees. Excessive exposure to the sun produces more anthocyanins as protection against oxidation from the high-energy light. They appear red and violet to us and make up the autumn colours. An ornamental wine in a sunny location will be more colorful in autumn.
Scarlet Vine (Vitis coignetiae)
The scarlet wine (Vitis coignetiae), which is native to East Asia, is also enjoying increasing popularity with us. It is particularly suitable as a natural source of shade on the terrace or balcony if it is guided along an appropriate trellis. It is ideal for growing on pergola or gazebos. It can grow up to 8 m in height and forms wrinkled, heart-shaped leaves along its tendrils. Between June and July it bears rust-red flowers, to which it owes its name. From this, inconspicuous, green grapes emerge in the autumn. Its up to 30 cm large, dull green leaves turn a striking autumnal yellow-red to fire-red with an additional dark red grain. They are dropped in the fall like the other wild wines.
At a glance: Which ornamental wine is right for me?
Depending on the way theVirginia Creepers climb up, they are differently well suited for different purposes. The different types are suitable for this:
- For wall and facade greening without a climbing scaffold, only the virgin vine is suitable, as it finds a hold in small cracks and crevices with its adhesive organs.
- All ornamental vines grow well on climbing scaffolds, but the scaffolding for the young vine should not be made of smooth material, but rather of rough material so that the adhesive organs can be placed securely.
- All ornamental vines are suitable as natural privacy or sun protection on the pergola or on the roof of the gazebo, but only until the leaves have fallen.
- If you have children and pets in the household, Virginia creeper or scarlet vine are best used as their berries are edible.
- The Virginia creeper and the scarlet vine are particularly suitable for sunny locations, while the virgin vine also grows well in shady locations.
Does Virginia creeper appeal to you as a privacy screen, but you want to add some variety to the garden? Then we recommend our special article on the best privacy plants for the garden and balcony.