Vitis californica
Encyclopedia
Vitis californica is a wild grape
species native to most of California
and southwestern Oregon
. 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. In the fall the leaves turn many shades of orange and yellow, and bunches of small and often sour but edible purple grapes hang from the vines. It is a common sight along the banks of the Sacramento River
.
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. The grapes provide an important food source for a variety of wild animals, especially birds, and the foliage provides thick cover.
The wild grape is strong and robust, and viticulturists
worldwide often use it as rootstock
for their wine grapes
. The interesting shape and color of the leaves and the lush, trainable vines make this species an attractive garden plant. In some areas where the plant is not native it has the capacity to become a noxious weed
.
This vine is commonly used in native plant gardens where once established it thrives without summer water. The cultivar 'Roger's Red' (named for noted horticulturist Roger Raiche) turns brilliant red in fall and is a hybrid with a wine grape, Vitis vinifera; 'Walker Ridge' turns yellow in fall.
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
species native to most of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and southwestern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is a deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
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. In the fall the leaves turn many shades of orange and yellow, and bunches of small and often sour but edible purple grapes hang from the vines. It is a common sight along the banks of the Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
.
The wild grape is strong and robust, and viticulturists
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
worldwide often use it as rootstock
Rootstock
A rootstock is a plant, and sometimes just the stump, which already has an established, healthy root system, used for grafting a cutting or budding from another plant. The tree part being grafted onto the rootstock is usually called the scion...
for their wine grapes
Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
. The interesting shape and color of the leaves and the lush, trainable vines make this species an attractive garden plant. In some areas where the plant is not native it has the capacity to become a noxious weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
.
This vine is commonly used in native plant gardens where once established it thrives without summer water. The cultivar 'Roger's Red' (named for noted horticulturist Roger Raiche) turns brilliant red in fall and is a hybrid with a wine grape, Vitis vinifera; 'Walker Ridge' turns yellow in fall.