Grapes (Vitis spp.)

Size: 8′ tall with 6-8′ spread

Flowering: inconcpicuous

Fruiting: late-August to early-September

Birds: fall migrants such as catbird, rose-breasted grosbeak, robin, orioles, and waxwings.

Many different species of wild grape are native and grow throughout eastern and central North America. They are tolerant of most soils. Some species are found in moist rich soils while others thrive on sandy and dry sites. These native grapes are excellent choices for attracting birds to your yard in during fall migration as they ripen in August and September. Some birds known to eat wild grapes are bluebird, catbird, crow, flycatchers, robins, woodpeckers, sapsuckers, starlings, thrashers, chickadees, waxwings, finches, jays, orioles, and sparrows. They are difficult to identify by species in the wild, and I do not know of reliable locations where you can purchase nursery grown plant. Most likely, local nurseries will be the most likely to carry them. It can be difficult to start these varieties from seed, so stem cuttings or transplants are recommended as methods of propagation.
Cautions: in some cases, some wild grapes can smother and kill shrubs and small trees. You should train them to run up a trellis or other structure. Note also that Japanese Beetles can cause major damage to the foliage of grape plants.

Riverbank Grape (Vitis riparia) This native, woody, perennial vine can reach up to 50′ long! It usually climbs trees, shrubs, or fence rows, but will also run just above ground across open areas. Riverbank grape blooms during the late spring for about 2-3 weeks. The flowers are then replaced by fruits that develop throughout the summer. These are initially small and green, but become purple or blue with maturity. Riverbank Grape prefers full sun to light shade, and moist to slightly dry conditions, however, like other grape it is not restricted to such conditions.

Frost Grape (Vitis vulpina) Frost grape is important in that it provides late fall and early winter food for many species of birds and mammals. Fruits cling to the vines later than most other fruits, so they are a welcome supplement for the wildlife diet. The fruits – which are loosely clustered – appear to turn black and shiny when ripening in September to October.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Fox Grape (Vitis labrusca) Fox grape may not be suitable to Minnesota; being replaced by the riverbank grape (and to a lesser extent the frost grape) in natural settings. Be wary of the “Concord” cultivar as it is reputed by some sources to be only tolerant to hardiness zone 5.