Wilder
(Labrusca, Vinifera)
The fruit of Wilder is surpassed in quality and appearance by other of
Rogers' hybrids, but the vine is the most reliable of any of these
hybrid sorts, being vigorous, hardy, productive, and, although
somewhat susceptible to mildew, as healthy as any. Wilder is not as
well known in the markets as it should be, and now that fungal
diseases can be controlled by spraying should be more c
mmonly planted
in commercial vineyards, especially for local markets. Wilder is one
of the forty-five Labrusca-Vinifera hybrids raised by E. S. Rogers,
Salem, Massachusetts, having been described first in 1858.
Vine vigorous, hardy, productive, susceptible to mildew. Canes
long, numerous, reddish-brown, darker at the nodes; internodes
long; tendrils intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves large,
irregularly round; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower
surface pale green, pubescent; usually not lobed with terminus
acute; petiolar sinus deep, narrow, often closed and overlapping;
basal sinus lacking; lateral sinus shallow, narrow, or a mere
notch when present. Flowers self-sterile, mid-season; stamens
reflexed.
Fruit early mid-season, keeps and ships well. Clusters variable in
size, short, broad, tapering, heavily single-shouldered, loose;
pedicel long, thick with numerous warts; brush thick, green with
tinge of red. Berries large, oval, purplish-black with heavy
bloom, persistent, firm; skin thick, adherent to pulp, with bright
red pigment, astringent; flesh green, translucent, juicy, tender;
good. Seeds adherent, one to five, long, light brown.