Candy Heart grapes are not "grown" in the traditional sense of occurring naturally; they are a product of selective breeding. They are created through hybridization, a process similar to how many new fruit varieties are developed.
Here's a breakdown:
-
Origin: Candy Hearts is a product of the grape breeding program at International Fruit Genetics (IFG) in California.
-
Hybridization: They are the result of cross-pollination (hybridization) between two different grape varieties: Princess x A2798 (an unnamed variety from the University of Arkansas).
- Princess: This is a specific variety of grape that contributes certain characteristics to the offspring.
- A2798: This unnamed variety also contributes specific characteristics. The University of Arkansas likely selected it for traits like disease resistance, flavor, or size.
-
Breeding Process: Grape breeders carefully select parent grape varieties with desirable traits (like sweetness, flavor profile, texture, disease resistance, etc.). They then cross-pollinate these parent plants. The resulting seeds produce new grapevines, each with a unique combination of traits from its parents. These new vines are then evaluated over several years. Only those with the most desirable characteristics are selected for further propagation and potential commercialization.
-
No Genetic Modification: It's important to note that Candy Heart grapes are developed through traditional breeding techniques, not genetic modification (GMO).
-
Commercial Production: Once a superior grape variety like Candy Hearts is identified, it is propagated asexually (typically through cuttings) to ensure that the new vines are genetically identical to the parent plant and retain the desired characteristics. These cuttings are then planted in commercial vineyards.
In summary, Candy Heart grapes are the result of deliberate cross-breeding of specific grape varieties to achieve a unique and desirable flavor profile, rather than being "grown" as a naturally occurring variety.