Grapes - Native Grapes Of North America

Various species of grapes are native to North America. Some of the more widespread species are the muscadine-grape (V. rotundifolia), the fox-grape (V. labrusca), the summer-grape (V. aestivalis), the forest-grape (V. vulpina), and the river-bank grape (V. riparia). Most of these are species of moist sites, often growing luxuriantly along forest edges and in riparian habitats.

Wild grapes provide a nutritious and seasonally important food for many species of birds and mammals. Wild grapes also contribute to the pleasing aesthetic of some habitats, for example, when they luxuriously drape the edges of forests beside rivers and lakes.