2-3ft 'Orion' Grape Vine | 3L Pot | Outdoor
Versatile hardy variety perfect for sub-optimal conditions
‘Orion’ is a modern white grape variety, most often used for wine-making, but can also be eaten fresh and in cooking. It produces a crisp, aromatic wine similar to Seyval. It is a hybrid grape of German origin, created by crossing the Vitis vinifera variety Optima with another hybrid, Villard Blanc.
Like all grapes, it prefers a sunny, sheltered site against a south or west-facing wall with well-drained soil. ‘Orion’ is a late season grape, maturing from September-October. In a pruned state for fruiting, it will ideally reach about 2m, with a spread of 1.5m. If left unpruned, it can reach 5m or more.
It is relatively disease resistant, frost tolerant and can withstand some drought once established. ‘Orion’ is grown commercially for wine production in Southern England, East Anglia and South Wales, so you can be sure of a good crop if you live in these areas. Further north, consider growing the vines under glass in a polytunnel or cold greenhouse.
Variety Information
- Location: Outdoor
- Seedless: No
- Color: White
- Harvesting Period: August-September
- Estimated Time to Best Yields: 2 years
- Uses: Eating Fresh, Wine-Making
- Supplied As: 3L Pot
- Height on Arrival: 1m (3ft)
- Planting Distance: 1.8-2.7m
- Eventual Height & Spread: 10m x 10m (33 x 33ft)
- Dig a hole that is twice the radius of your plant’s rootball.
- Before planting, drench the rootball.
- Place the pot in the planting hole, making sure that it sits no lower than an inch below the ground.
- Fill the planting hole with a mix of compost and garden soil, finishing with fertiliser and mycorrhizal fungi. Take care to not compress the soil.
- Provide your plant with a generous watering.
- Add mulch on top, (whether bark and wood chippings, compost, manure, leaf-mould, and stones). Try to keep the mulch from touching the stem.
- Hardiness: While grapes originate from the Mediterranean and Central Asia, they are hardy enough to survive the UK's winters. However, they can sometimes suffer from frost damage. To avoid this, try to plant them in a south-facing location.
| Harvesting Period | Mid Season Fruit Trees |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Grape |
| Features | Fruiting Climbing Plants |
| Harvest Month | August, September |
| Is Collection/Mix? | No |
| Location | Outdoor Grape Vines |
| Needs Ericaceous Compost? | No |
| Species | Grape Vines, Soft Fruit Plants |
| Time To Cropping | 1 Year |
| Type | Grape |
| Uses | Fruiting Plants Suitable For Eating Fresh, Fruiting Plants Suitable For Juicing |
| Colour | White |
| Eventual Height | 12m+ |
| Eventual Spread | 4m-8m |
| Pollination Group | Self-Fertile |
| Annual Rate Of Growth | Medium Growing |
| Supplied As | 3L Pot |
| Supplied As | 2L-3L Pot |
| Type | Soft Fruit Plants |
| Shop By Category | Soft Fruit Plants |