The Great Vine of Hampton Court Palace is the largest and oldest vine in the world.
The Great Vine of Hampton Court Palace, located on the River Thames in London, is the largest and oldest vine in the world, planted inside the royal palace’s greenhouse in 1769.
The Great Vine of Hampton Court Palace.
At the time, George III was the King of England, overseeing numerous colonies. This massive vine was propagated from a mother vine planted at Valentine Mansion in Ilford, Essex.
Lancelot “Capability” Brown, the head gardener, planted the vine in fertile soil, and over time it thrived. By 1887, the vine had reached a height of 1.2 meters around the greenhouse.
The average lifespan of a commercial grapevine is about 25 years; however, many have grown older vines, some over 100 years.
As the vine grew, the greenhouse was expanded multiple times.
Older vines can produce many high-quality grapes, but their yield has significantly decreased. Century-old vines yield relatively few grapes due to the devastation caused by phylloxera and fungal diseases in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Nevertheless, the Great Vine of Hampton Court Palace has been particularly fortunate.
During the Victorian era, gardeners believed that a large vine would yield a more abundant harvest. Therefore, they built a greenhouse around the vine to allow it to spread wider and to keep it warm during the cold winters of England.
As the vine grew, the greenhouse was expanded several times. In the early 1900s, a wooden greenhouse was constructed with an open area for visitors to view.
By 1969, the greenhouse needed to be rebuilt, but the vine had become so entrenched in the structure that it had to be replaced with aluminum combined with older iron frames for stability.
The average yield of black grapes is 272 kg.
There are no records of these grapes being used for winemaking. Queen Victoria sent some grapes to the Royal Family at Windsor Castle. Later, Edward VII decided to open the gates and sell the grapes to the public.
Today, the area where the Great Vine of Hampton Court Palace is grown measures four meters around the base, with the longest shoot reaching 36.5 meters. The average yield of black grapes is 272 kg. In 2001, the Great Vine of Hampton Court Palace produced its largest harvest of 363 kg.
The palace is located about 17 km southwest of central London, a historic palace where the British royal family once resided.
