Vitis 'Canadice' (seedless grape)

Canadice Grape Vine (Vitis ‘Canadice’) is a superior red, seedless variety that produces large clusters of delicious fruit. The attractive pinkish-red grapes are very sweet with a subtle spicy undertone, and feature skin that separates easily from the flesh - known as a slipskin grape. Thanks to its high sugar content, Canadice is excellent for fresh eating and fruit salads, and is also well suited for making jams, jellies, and even wine.

While primarily grown for its fruit, the Canadice red grape plant also offers strong ornamental value. It is a woody, deciduous climbing vine that can grow up to 6 m (20 ft) if left unpruned. The green leaves typically have three palmate lobes and turn yellow in autumn. Small, yellowish-green flowers are borne in racemes; they are self-fertile, mildly musky in fragrance, and attractive to pollinators.

A semi-early fruiting grape variety, Canadice produces showy, drooping clusters of pinkish-red grapes in mid-September. The fruit is highly decorative on the vine and very attractive to birds and mammals. In winter, the shaggy, twisted trunks and branching add seasonal interest.

This vigorous Canadice grape vine requires support, such as a fence, wall, trellis, arbour, shed, or similar structure, and can be used effectively for screening, shade, or coverage.

Canadice Seedless Grape vine prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil, and is hardy to zone 5b (-26 °C). This red grape plant has good disease resistance and typically begins bearing fruit within 2–3 years of planting. A mature vine can produce up to 6.8 kg (15 lb) of fruit per season.

While considered almost seedless, Vitis ‘Canadice’ may carry a few seeds on exceptional years under specific soil and climate conditions (drought for example). This red seedless grape requires 950 temperature degree-days (950 daylight hours at 10 °C) to produce mature fruits.

Originally developed in Geneva, New York, this variety is named after Canadice Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. Canadice is an excellent choice for a grape that is as beautiful on the vine as it is on the plate.