🍇 Venus

Venus is a table grape with dark, blue-black seedless berries, an interspecific hybrid from the United States. According to its VIVC passport, it was bred by James N. Moore at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Arkansas: the cross was made in 1964 and the selection in 1967. The breeder gave Alden and New York 46000 as its parents; DNA markers confirmed Alden, while the second parent was not in the data set.

During trials the variety carried the number Arkansas 1196, and in Europe it is also known as Venus Seedless. The U.S. Department of Agriculture genebank (GRIN, accession PI 597243) dates its release to 1977. The berries are round, with a whitish bloom, and weigh about 3.0 g; they ripen 7–10 days before Fredonia and respond well to girdling and gibberellin treatment, which increase berry size. The vine is vigorous and very productive, tolerant to black rot, anthracnose and powdery mildew but susceptible to downy mildew; it is hardy to -10 °F.

Why it matters to you. Venus also suits home gardens: the Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture includes it in its list of fungus-resistant varieties for house and garden. According to its leaflet, in a wine-growing climate the berries ripen from late August to mid-September; they are fleshy and sweet and, when fully ripe, show a strawberry note. The clusters are medium-sized, narrow and compact; the vine is very vigorous with very large leaves, so it covers a pergola well, and it has good winter hardiness. Trollhaugen and Magenta descend from Venus.