Description
Lady Finger is the English version of a name given in many languages to old white table grapes: Dito di Dama, Doigts de Dame, Frauenfinger, Dedo de Doncella and the Turkish Kadın Parmak. The international Vitis catalogue lists most of these as synonyms of Cornichon Blanc, an old seeded white variety attributed to Turkey. It keeps a separate record for Kadin Barmak, a seeded white table grape attributed to Armenia, with Lady's Finger as an English name. University of California Master Gardener lists also recommend a seeded table grape called Lady Finger for warm inland Northern California, where it ripens in mid-September.
Characteristics
White table grape; seeded; Near Eastern or Anatolian origin; one of several grapes sold under 'lady finger' names; ripens about mid-September in inland Northern California
Growing Tips
UC Master Gardeners recommend cane pruning for Lady Finger, so leave a few healthy one-year canes each winter instead of cutting everything back to short spurs. It is only listed for warm inland areas, so in a cooler garden give it your warmest, sunniest spot and do not count on it ripening every year.