18 wild grapes

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Basic Information about this tree
  • Scientific Name, Family: Vitis riparia Michx., Vitaceae

    Common Names:Riverbank Grape

    Native or invasive: Native

    Deciduous or Evergreen: Deciduous

    GPS Coordinates: 45.00308 N   92.90340 W 

  • Deciduous:  Drops its leaves in fall-late winter
  • Branch Structure: Climbs trees, shrubs, or fence rows; will sprawl in open areas; Woody stems branch occasionally; older stems are covered with shaggy bark; Smaller non-woody stems are green or red, and hairless.

  • Typical height and width at maturity: Up to 50 ft long by 3 ft wide

  • Typical longevity: 50 – 100 years.

  • Soil, water, sunlight preferences: Full sun to light shade; Rich, fertile soils of woodlands, along fences, around homes, and along streams and lakeshores.

  • Growth habit of roots: Central taproot branches occasionally.

Mature Tree in Winter/ Summer

Leaves in Summer / Fall

leaf

Flowers - Dioecious, which means that male and female flowers are located on separate plants. Male individuals bear flowers with reduced pistils and female vines have flowers with reflexed anthers and stamens that produce sterile pollen grains.

Fruit

Bark of Mature Tree

Uses in Traditional and Modern Eras

Value for wildlife: They are a food source for insects, songbirds, game birds, waterfowl, and mammals. Edibility: The berries are sour until the first frost then they become sweeter.

Utility for Humans: Grow on trellises or other solid structures for support.  Used for eating and wine-making. There are at least two types of wild grapes in our area. On one, the dark blue berries have brown/green stems, on the the other, the dark blue berries have red stems. The  red ones are very bitter, but the brown/green are tasty. They have about four times the flavor intensity of cultivated grapes, and the juice can be diluted with sugar-water before winemaking.

Homeowner’s Corner: Japanese beetles love grapevine leaves.  Spotted wing drosophila is an invasive fruit fly and can do significant damage to fruit.  Birds, deer, and racoons can also cause damage to vines and fruit.  Watch for powdery mildew, downy mildew, and fruit rots. Can overtake and “smother” the plant it climbs over.  Looks similar to Virginia Creeper, Wild Cucumber, or Boston Ivy.

Links & References

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