Native Grapes (U.S. National Park Service)

Grapes are the most abundant vines native to the National Capital Region (DC, Maryland, and Virginia; NCR). They support wildlife in many ways. Tangles of grapevines provide excellent cover and nesting sites for songbirds as well as stringy bark for nesting material. Most importantly, grapevines produce plentiful quantities of fresh fruit consumed by birds and mammals from late summer through fall. Persistent dried raisins of the winter and summer grape are a substantial food source for winter resident songbirds such as bluebirds, cedar waxwings, hermit thrushes, mockingbirds, and robins. In addition, grape leaves serve as a primary food source for the larval stage of several native moth species.

A man stands next to a massive leafless vine in an open winter forest. — This grape vine on Cabin John Island in the Potomac River could easily be 100 years old. Cabin John Island is part of C&O Canal National Historical Park.
NPS/Nortrup

Grape Basics

There are about 60 species of grapes (Vitis) native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Of twelve species native to eastern North America, seven occur in the NCR. Grapes are vines that climb using tendrils that grasp onto branches and other supporting objects. Many species can grow more than 100 feet in height and live to be more than 100 years old. In fact the oldest grapevine in the world is thought to be around 400 years old.

Grape products are familiar to people as table grapes, raisins, jams, jellies, juices, and wines. Most commercial grape products are derived from the common grape (Vitis vinifera) which is native to Europe and southwest Asia. However, many domesticated North American species are popular in trade too. The human use of grapes for food and wine dates back thousands of years.

Distinguishing Traits

All grape species in the NCR except for the muscadine have mature bark that shreds and exfoliates. The size of the grape fruit varies from as small as three millimeters in the winter grape to as large as 2.5 centimeters in the fox and muscadine grapes. The presence or absence of a glaucous (bluish-whitish) bloom on the fruit varies from species to species. Leaf undersides are substantially hairy in the fox, possum, and summer grapes and essentially hairless in the muscadine, riverbank, winter, and rock grapes.

A common grape look-alike is the non-native invasive porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) vine. Porcelain berry is an Asian member of the grape family with leaves that closely resemble grape leaves. However, its bark never shreds or exfoliates and the pith inside the stem is white (instead of brown like grapes). The small (6-8mm) speckled porcelain berry fruits turn pink, purple, and blue when ripening.

Left: close-up of bark on vine. Middle: close-up of curling vine branches. Right: grape leaves and fruits. — All grapes in the NCR except muscadine have stringy “shredded” bark (left) and grasping forked tendrils (center). Some have glaucous (whitish or bluish) fruit or leaves (right).
NPS/Nortrup, NPS/Nortrup, State of Missouri

NCR Native Grape Species

Fox Grape

Left: The pale underside of a grape leaf with other leaves in the background. Right: Large purple grapes on a vine. — Fox grape (Vitis labrusca) leaves and fruit.
Left: JK Marlow, Right: © 2024 Alexey Zinovjev Salicicola.com

Fox Grape (Vitis labrusca) is a wide ranging but uncommon species usually associated with wetlands. The fox grape is distinguished by its large fruits (1-2.5cm) and a dense fuzz (pubescence) that conceals the undersurface of the leaves. No other grape in our area has a dense felt covering the entire leaf undersurface. The fruits drop soon after ripening. The Concord grape is derived from this species.
The Norton wine grape is derived from this species and is said to be the oldest domesticated American grape.

Muscadine Grape

Left: A measuring tape in inches sits to the left of two grape leaves. Right: Grapes on a vine surrounded by leaves. — Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) leaves and fruit.
Left: JK Marlow, Right: NCSU Cooperative Extension/ C. Fisk

Muscadine Grape (Vitis rotundifolia) is native to sandy soils of the Coastal Plain. Although not known from any NCR park, this southern grape grows at Chapman State Park just downriver from Piscataway Park (NACE) and is known from Arlington County, Virginia. The muscadine is our only grape without forked tendrils or stringy bark. The large (1.2- 2.5cm) fruits drop when ripe. This species is grown commercially for wine and table grapes in the southern states. Published reports of this species from Antietam, Monocacy, and Prince William are based on misidentifications.

Possum Grape

Multiple grape leaves on a vine. — Possum grape (Vitis cinerea) leaves.
© 2009 Jeffrey Pippen

Possum Grape (Vitis cinerea) is an uncommon species usually found on river bottomlands but occasionally in moist to wet upland sites. The 4-8mm fruits are black with a slight glaucous bloom. Possum grape resembles summer grape except the underside of the leaves are not glaucous and the fruits are only slightly glaucous. This southern species is found mostly along the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers.

Riverbank Grape

Left: Grape leaves and dense foliage. Right: A cluster of grapes dangles on a vine. — Riverbank grape (Vitis riparia) leaves and fruit.
Left: © 2024 Donald Cameron, Right: © Arthur Haines Native Plant Trust

Riverbank Grape (Vitis riparia) is usually found on alluvial soils of large streams and rivers. The 8-13mm fruits have a heavy glaucous bloom. This species and summer grape are our only blue colored grapes. However, riverbank grape lacks the glaucous color found on the underside of the leaves of the summer grape. This species is used as a rootstock for many wine grape cultivars.

Rock Grape

Multiple grape leaves on a vine on a rock surface. — Rock grape (Vitis rupestris) leaves.
University of South Florida/Tara Littlefield

Rock Grape (Vitis rupestris) is a rare species that grows in calcareous sands of scoured rocky riverbanks along the Potomac River. It is a somewhat shrubby, low climbing, sprawling species that bears few if any tendrils. Rock grapes have black, slightly glaucous fruits 6-10mm diameter that drop when ripe. Like the riverbank grape, rock grape serves as an important rootstock for many wine grapes.

Summer Grape

Left: The underside of a grape leaf against other grape leaves. Right: A cluster of grapes dangles on a vine. — Summer grape (Vitis aestivalis) leaves and fruit.
Left: © Arthur Haines Native Plant Trust, Right: © 2024 Ted Bodner CC BY-NC 3.0

Summer Grape (Vitis aestivalis) is found in upland forests and is our second most abundant grape. It is readily identified by the glaucous color on the underside of the leaves. The moderately glaucous fruits are 5-12mm in diameter and persist on the vine. This species is plentiful at Catoctin and Harpers Ferry.

Winter Grape

Left: The underside of a grape leaf. Right: Multiple clusters of grapes hang off of a leafy vine. — Winter grape (Vitis vulpina) leaves and fruit.
Left: JK Marlow, Right: NCSU Cooperative Extension

Winter Grape (Vitis vulpina) is by far the most common species of grape across the NCR. It is found in moist upland and bottomland habitats. The black shiny fruits are small (3-9mm) and persist on the vine into winter. The leaves are smooth and green on the underside. Due to its abundance, the winter grape is a significant source of food for wildlife in our region.

Threats

Grapevines are often cut by well-meaning but misinformed people hoping to help forest trees. Sadly, this practice has become fairly common in some NCR parks. Better education and training is much needed to reduce unnecessary impacts to these and other valuable native vines.

A hand holds two thick trunks of similar looking vines. — On the left, invasive roundleaf bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) and on the right, native Virginia creeper (Parthenocisus quinquefolia). Native vines including grape, Virginia creeper, and others can sometimes become “cut vine collateral damage.”
NPS/Nortrup

Grape Species Comparison Chart

Species	LEAF Description	FRUIT Size & Coloration	Habitat	NCR Parks
Fox	Fuzzy undersides	10-25mm	Wetlands	ANTI, CATO, CHOH, GWMP, HAFE, NACE, PRWI, ROCR, WOTR
Muscadine	Small	12-25mm	Sandy soils, coastal plains	Found nearby but not in any NCR parks
Possum	Hairy undersides	Slightly glaucous, 4-8mm	River bottomlands	CHOH, GWMP, NACE, PRWI
Riverbank	Not glaucous	Glaucous, 8-13mm	Riverbanks	ANTI, CHOH, GWMP, HAFE, NACE, ROCR
Rock	Shrubby, low growth	Glaucous, 6-10mm	Rocky riverbanks	CHOH, GWMP
Summer	Highly glaucous undersides	Glaucous, 5-12mm	Upland forests	ANTI, CATO, CHOH, GWMP, HAFE, MANA, MONO, NACE, PRWI, ROCR, WOTR
Winter	Smooth green undersides	3-9mm	Moist areas	ANTI, CATO, CHOH, GWMP, HAFE, MANA, MONO, NACE, PRWI, ROCR, WOTR

NPSpecies observations since the original publication of this material include Riverbank grape at MONO and Rock grape at HAFE.

More on Vines

The NCR Inventory & Monitoring Network monitors vines like grape as part of a larger forest vegetation effort. To learn more about this monitoring, visit the NCRN I&M vegetation monitoring page to view the latest reports and resource briefs.

This material was originally published as a resource brief in 2012, and was republished in an online format in 2024.

Native Grapes

Grape Basics

Distinguishing Traits