About Vitis coignetiae Pulliat ex Planch.
Vitis coignetiae Pulliat ex Planch. is a very vigorous vine with grey-brown, tomentose shoots. Its deciduous leaves are large, measuring 10 to 25 cm in diameter, with a simple orbicular shape, toothed edges, and a 5 to 15 cm long petiole. The leaves are dark green through the growing season, and turn red-orange during autumn. Wild individuals of this species can be male, female, or hermaphrodite. It produces large clusters of small, purple-black, seeded berries. This vine grows naturally in mountainous regions of Japan, and in mountainous areas of Korea up to 1300 meters in altitude. In East Asia, it is cultivated as an ornamental plant valued for its crimson autumn foliage, and is also used as a traditional medicine. It has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. In Korea and Japan, the vine is used to produce wine. This wine is bitter when first produced, but becomes softer with the addition of sugar.
