Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Share

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:
Vitis girdiana (Desert wild grape)
Wasowski, Sally and Andy

Vitis girdiana

Vitis girdiana Munson

Desert Wild Grape, Valley Grape, Southern California Grape

Vitaceae (Grape Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: VIGI2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A deciduous vine to 30 ft. that, without support, makes a nice ground cover. Stems have shreddy bark and the white-fuzzy leaves are roundish and lobed. Fragrant, greenish-yellow flowers are followed by clusters of small, edible, black grapes.

 

From the Image Gallery

2 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Berry
Size Notes: Climber, stems up to about 30 feet long.
Fruit: Dark purple to black.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Yellow , Green
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: CA
Native Distribution: S. CA, adjacent Mex. & Channel Islands
Native Habitat: Stream banks & moist canyons below 4000 ft.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Moist soils.

Benefit

Use Food: Grapes are edible and make nice jelly.
Attracts: Birds

Propagation

Description: Most often propagated from dormant hardwood cuttings. Treated seeds are also used.
Seed Collection: Strip ripe fruits from the vines. Clean seeds before storing in sealed, refrigerated containers.
Seed Treatment: Seeds of most Vitis species require a cool-moist stratification period.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Vitis girdiana in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Vitis girdiana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Vitis girdiana

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-10-11
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back