Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Desert Wild Grape is a native vine or shrub that grows in southern California. It tends to grow in streamsides, at elevations from 0-4100 feet, but it is found in more arid areas than its close cousin, Vitis californica. It grows in southern oak woodlands, coastal sage scrub, pinyon-juniper woodland, joshua tree woodland, and riparian habitats. In the wild it tends to climb over other plants with stems reaching up to 50 ft. In the garden it can be trained to climb up a trellis, fence or wall. It is deciduous and is leafless for several months every year. The flowers are inconspicuous, followed by the edible fruits which attract many birds. It may not fruit reliably if too close to the coast.

Plant type

Shrub, Vine

Size

10 - 50 ft Tall

Form

Spreading

Growth rate

Fast

Dormancy

Winter Deciduous

Fragrance

None

Calscape icon
Color

Green

Flowering season

Spring

Special uses

Groundcover

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Low, Moderate

Summer irrigation

Max 1x / month once established

Ease of care

Easy

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to 0° F

Soil drainage

Medium

Soil description

Tolerates a variety of soils.
Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0

Maintenance

Prune to train in winter when it is leafless. In spring and summer, wayward stems can be pruned off at any time.

Propagation

Seed or cuttings

Sunset Zones

4, 5, 6, 7*, 8*, 9*, 10*, 11*, 12*, 13*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*

Site type

Streamsides, springs, canyons

Plant communities

Coastal Sage Scrub, Southern Oak Woodland, Wetland-Riparian

Bats
Birds
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 32 likely

Confirmed Likely

Abagrotis forbesi

Climbing Cutworm

Abagrotis orbis

Reed's Dart Moth

Abagrotis reedi

Luteus Dart Moth

Abagrotis trigona