Vitis californica - California Wild Grape

Description

The wild grape is a large woody vine that, once established, produces remarkable amounts of new growth each year. It can readily reach 40' given access to ground water. It sets clusters of small, dark, intensely flavored fruit in mid summer, and its round leaves turn a clear yellow come fall. We have two growing along the top of our potting shed, providing us shade in the summer and allowing in the winter sun. Early settlers used wild grapes as a tonic, as a remedy for urinary problems and kidney stones and as an eyewash. The leaves were used for snakebite.