Vitis californica

Benth.

Califonia Wild grape, California grape

Vitaceae Edible: Fruit, Leaves 6,155 iNaturalist observations

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

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Summary

Vitis californica, with common names California wild grape, Northern California grape, and Pacific grape, is a wild grape species native to western North America.

Description

A vine. It grows 9 m high and spreads 4.5-9 m wide. The leaves are large and rounded or heart shaped. Sometimes they have 3 lobes. The leaves turn rich red in autumn. The fruit are small and black.

Edible Uses

The fruit, about 8mm in diameter, is quite juicy but very small with thin flesh, and is considered of little value even in America for its fruit. It can be eaten raw, cooked into jellies and pies, or dried for winter use. Young leaves can be wrapped around other foods and baked, where they impart a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils are edible raw or cooked and make a pleasantly sour snack when eaten fresh.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw or dried. They can be made into jelly, pies, and wine. The tendrils are eaten raw. The boiled leaves are used to wrap other foods.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in clearings in forests. It suits hardiness zones 7-9.

Where It Grows

Australia, Mexico, North America, USA,

Cultivation

Prefers a deep rich moist well-drained moderately fertile loam. Grows best in a calcareous soil. Succeeds in sun or partial shade though a warm sunny position is required for the fruit to ripen. The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. Plants climb by means of tendrils. Any pruning should be carried out in winter when the plants are dormant otherwise they bleed profusely. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Propagation

Seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Six weeks of cold stratification improves germination, so stored seed should also be sown in a cold frame as soon as it is obtained. Germination usually occurs in the first spring but can take another 12 months. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame through their first winter, then plant out in early summer. Cuttings of mature wood from the current season's growth can be taken in December or January and rooted in a frame. These can be 15–30cm long, or short sections about 5cm long with a single bud at the top. For the shorter sections, remove a thin, narrow strip of bark about 3cm long from the lower portion of one side to encourage callusing and root formation; these shorter cuttings require a more sheltered environment than longer ones. Layering is also an option.

Other Uses

A yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves. The roots have been used as a basketry material for basket bottoms, and the woody parts of the vines have been used for the rims of large cone-shaped carrying baskets. Smaller vines can be twisted to make a strong rope.

Other Information

It has been an important food.

Notes

There are 60 to 70 species of Vitis.

Dangerous Lookalikes

This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.

DEADLY

Canadian Moonseed

Menispermum canadense

Cbaile19

Safe

Califonia Wild grape

Vitis californica

Canadian Moonseed: No tendrils, single crescent/moon-shaped seed, leaf stem attaches to underside of leaf.

Califonia Wild grape: Vine with tendrils, round seeds, leaf stem at edge of leaf, bark that peels.

Also Known As

Uva

References (13)

Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
Bocek, B. R., 1984, Ethnobotany of Costanoan Indians, California, Based on Collections by John P. Harrington. Economic Botany 38(2): 240-255
Bot. voy. Sulphur 10. 1844
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1478
Elias, T.S. & Dykeman P.A., 1990, Edible Wild Plants. A North American Field guide. Sterling, New York p 216

Show all 13 references

Esperanca, M. J., 1988. Surviving in the wild. A glance at the wild plants and their uses. Vol. 1. p 165
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 245
Flowerdew, B., 2000, Complete Fruit Book. Kyle Cathie Ltd., London. p 92
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 682
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 920
Moerman, D. F., 2010, Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. p 598
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Segura, S., et al, 2018, The edible fruit species in Mexico. Genet Resour Crop Evol (2018) 65:1767–1793