Vitis girdiana

Munson

Valley grape

Vitaceae Edible: Fruit, Leaves 2,479 iNaturalist observations

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Vitis girdiana is as species of wild grape known as the desert wild grape, coyote grape, or valley grape. It is native to southern California in the United States and to Baja California in Mexico. Vitis girdiana is a woody vine with a coating of woolly hairs, especially on new growth. The woolly leaves are heart-shaped to kidney-shaped with toothed edges and sometimes shallow lobes. The inflorescence is a panicle of unisexual flowers. The fruit is a spherical black grape usually not more than 8 millimeters wide. It grows in canyon and streambank habitat in hills and mountains of the region.

Description

A woody vine. It is covered with woolly hairs. The leaves are heart shaped or kidney shaped. They are woolly. There are teeth along the edge and their can be lobes. The flowers are in a panicle. The fruit is a round black grape. It is 8 mm across.

Edible Uses

The fruit, borne in bunches of 4–7mm diameter berries, can be eaten raw or dried for winter use. Young leaves are used to wrap other foods before baking, lending them a pleasant flavour. Young tendrils can be eaten raw or cooked.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh and cooked in stews. The fruit are used for wine. The fruit are dried into raisins and cooked.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a subtropical and Mediterranean plant. It grows in valleys and stream banks.

Where It Grows

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. 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 ripens. Six weeks of cold stratification improves germination rates, so stored seed should be sown in a cold frame as soon as it is obtained. Germination usually occurs in the first spring but may take another 12 months. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle, overwinter in a cold frame, and plant out in early summer. Hardwood cuttings of the current season's growth can be taken in December or January and rooted in a frame. These may be 15–30cm long, or short single-bud sections about 5cm long. For the shorter sections, remove a thin strip of bark roughly 3cm long from the lower side to encourage callusing and rooting; these smaller cuttings need more protection than longer ones. Layering is also an option.

Other Uses

A yellow dye is obtained from fresh or dried leaves. The sap has been rubbed onto thinning or falling hair to promote healthy growth.

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

Valley grape

Vitis girdiana

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

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

Also Known As

Bejuco, Desert wild grape, Liana riparia

References (5)

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)
Moerman, D. F., 2010, Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. p 599
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Proc. Soc. Promot. Agric. Sci. 8:59. 1887
Segura, S., et al, 2018, The edible fruit species in Mexico. Genet Resour Crop Evol (2018) 65:1767–1793