wild grape

(Vitis riparia)

Conservation Status
wild grape
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FAC - Facultative

     
  Midwest

FACW - Facultative wetland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FAC - Facultative

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Wild grape is a high-climbing, 6 to 24 tall when sprawling, perennial, woody vine rising from a taproot.

The vine of the current season is green to gray or brown, lightly ridged, and hairless or lightly hairy. When they mature they become covered with reddish-brown bark. On old growth the bark sheds in long, thin strips. It extends up to 50.

Tendrils form opposite most leaves but are lacking every third leaf.

The leaves are alternate, yellowish-green, 4 to 8 wide, round to egg-shaped, and lobed with a heart-shaped base. They are on long leaf stalks. The lobing pattern is highly variable, even on the same plant, but they are usually divided into 3 forward-pointing lobes. Leaf margins are sharply toothed. Young leaves are hairless on the upper side, hairy on the underside. As they mature the undersides become green and hairless except for tufts of short, soft hairs in the vein axils and sometimes along the veins.

Male and female flowers are found in separate inflorescences on the same plant. The inflorescences are borne opposite most leaves but are lacking every third leaf. They are 2 to 4 long.

Flowers are inconspicuous, tiny, greenish white or greenish-yellow and fragrant. They have 5 petals.

The fruit is a black, purple, or blue, ¼ to ½ thick juicy berry with 2 to 6 seeds. The berry has a whitish, waxy bloom at maturity.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

6 to 24 when sprawling, climbing to 66

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Greenish-white or greenish-yellow

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

Silverleaf grape (Vitis aestivalis var. bicolor) leaves are whitish on the underside.

Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense) leaves are bluish-green and untoothed. There are no tendrils. The fruits are poisonous and contain a single, crescent-shaped seed.

 
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Moist. Floodplain forests, wooded swamps, upland woods, riverbanks, thickets, and roadsides. Full sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

Mid-June to early July

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

Grape gall midge (Schizomyia vitiscoryloides)

Grape leaf miner moth (Phyllocnistis vitegenella) creates conspicuous lines beneath the outer layer of cells (mines) that snake across the leaf surface. The mines are silvery-white with a central, broad, dark, frass line. They are unsightly but do not significantly affect the health of the plant.

Grape leaf miner moth (Phyllocnistis vitifoliella) creates conspicuous lines beneath the outer layer of cells (mines) that snake across the leaf surface. The mines are uniformly whitish with no visible frass line. They are unsightly but do not significantly affect the health of the plant.

Grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae)

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  6/14/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common and widespread

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Rosanae  
 

Order

Vitales grapes and allies)  
 

Family

Vitaceae (grape)  
  Subfamily Vitoideae  
 

Genus

Vitis (grapevines)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Vitis riparia var. praecox

Vitis riparia var. syrticola

Vitis vulpina var. praecox

Vitis vulpina ssp. riparia

Vitis vulpina var. syrticola

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

frost grape

riverbank grape

river-bank grape

wild grape

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Axil

The upper angle where the leaf stalk meets the stem.

 
 
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Michelle Groetsch

 
    wild grape   wild grape  
           
    wild grape      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Plant

 
    wild grape   wild grape  
           
    wild grape      
           
 

Leaves

 
    wild grape      
           
 

Infructescence

 
    wild grape   wild grape  
           
    wild grape      
           
 

Fruit

 
    wild grape      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Vitis riparia (Riverine Grape)
Allen Chartier
 
  Vitis riparia (Riverine Grape)  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Riverbank Grape
TheNatureTeacher
 
   
 
About

Published on Sep 11, 2012

   
  Dave's Vines
David Redic
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Sep 13, 2008

Dave Redic shows us the two wild grapevines of northeast Ohio, Vitis Riparia, Riverbank Grape Vine, and Vitis Argentifolia, Silver Leaf Grape Vine.

   
  Foraging Wild Grapes
RevolutionOfThought1
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 14, 2013

There are many species of Native American grapes, this particular species "Vitis Riparia" also know as the frost grape has been used for over a hundred years in to create hardy domestic grapes. Small, tart, plentiful,& pungent its used to make things from wine to jams. In this video I talk about this vigorous native grape vine, & share the awesome experience of foraging them.

Song: Pigeons Under Water
Artist: Greyboy Allstars

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE AUDIO, NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

   
  Riverbank Grape in Northern Wine Making
TheCampusTrees
 
   
 
About

Published on Apr 16, 2014

Riverbank grape (Vitis riparia) is a grape native to North America and grows wild across much of the Northern part of the continent. While its unpleasant taste, diminutive size, and seedy texture make it more fitting for wild animal browsing than human consumption, Vitis riparia has a secret weapon - it's cold hardiness. By mixing the freeze resistant genes of riverbank with premium table grapes wine stocks for the Northern latitudes are now available.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Michelle Groetsch
7/31/2020

Location: Sauk Centre, Stearns County

wild grape  
           
 
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