Variety Lydia

Lydia is a variety of the Isabella group, selected from seedlings of the North American species Vitis labrusca. It is universal: suitable for dessert and strong wine materials, juice and also for landscaping. It ripens in the mid-season, in 120–140 days. The cluster is medium, conical-cylindrical, branched, loose. The berries are medium, round, dark red with a lilac waxy bloom, with slippery pulp and a characteristic strawberry aroma; the skin is tough. Sugar content 18–19%, acidity 5.5–9.3 g/l.

The bush is vigorous, the flower is hermaphroditic; the bushes thicken heavily, so removing side shoots and topping are necessary. Yield 100–120 centners per hectare, and in wall culture individual bushes give 40 kg and more. Frost resistance is higher than in European varieties, down to −27 °C, and in southern areas it overwinters without cover. It has field resistance to downy and powdery mildew, so it is usually not treated against them. It is sensitive to lime chlorosis, and phylloxera resistance is low. Ripe berries hold less firmly to the stalk.