Vitis californica - California Wild Grape

General Information Common Name  California Wild Grape Scientific Name  Vitis californica Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  Over 10 m (Over 33 ft) Spread  8 -15 m (26 - 50 ft) Growth Rate  Fast Bloom Time  Spring Color  Green, Flower Color  White Type  Creepers & Climbers Native  United States, Europe

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class  Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons Subclass  Rosidae Order  Rhamnales Family  Vitaceae – Grape family Genus  Vitis L. – Grape Species  V. californica

Vitis californica - California Wild Grape

Vitis californica, common name is the California Wild Grape. It is a wild grape species native to USA of California. The California wild grape grows along streams and rivers and thrives in damp areas; however, like most other native California plants it can withstand periods of dry conditions. 

It is a deciduous vine which can grow to over 10 m (30 feet) in length.  It climbs on other plants or covers the ground with twisted, woody ropes of vine covered in green leaves. If this grape has no support it will make a nice ground cover and can cover a large greenhouse in 4-5 years. The leaves are green, but Autumn they become red and beautiful.  So people also like to plant V. californica in their garden or in front of house as an ornamental plant. It blooms white flowers in spring. These flowers give way in the summer to clusters of grape which start green, but it becomes red-purple when ripe. The fruits are edible. Bunches of small and often sour but edible purple grapes hang from the vines in autumn. The grapes provide an important food source for a variety of wild animals, especially birds, and the foliage provides thick cover. The fruit also very testy to eat but it has seeds. It also use for preparing refreshing drink. The grapes are a common sight along the banks of theSacramento River. The wild grape is strong and robust, and viticulturists worldwide often use it as rootstock for their wine grapes. In some areas where the plant is not native it has the capacity to become a noxious weed.

California Wild Grape Leaves

Flowers of California Wild Grape

California Wild Grape Flowers

California Wild Grape

California Wild Grape : Fruits

Fruits of California Wild Grape

California Wild Grape in Autumn

California Wild Grape in autumn

California Wild Grape Fall color

California Wild Grape