Grape vines are cultivated for their fruit to make wine, raisins, jams or to consume whole. Them grow and a few vines can reach up to 100 feet if left unpruned. Some species grow wild, but whether cultivated or wild all species that is grape leaves have netted veins with five main veins radiating outward and originating at the base of the leaf. All grape leaves are heart-shaped, but that form varies among species, making in identifying sorts leaves helpful.
Muscadine Grapes
Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia) berries leaves have deeply toothed edges. Very nice veinlets branch off of the main veins developing a routine between them creating the leaf resistant to ripping. Muscadine, which grows year round in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 6 through 10, has leaves that are extremely round and lobes that aren’t readily distinguishable. They grow are green on top and yellowish underneath.
European Grapes
European grapes (Vitis vinifera) are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9 and have deep indentations on the edges of their leaves creating five different lobes, also known as leaflets. The vein routine that is netted works its way out to leaf edges that have serrations, which resemble sharp teeth. Because botanically speaking berries are berries, purple, red, yellow and green berries are produced by european grape varieties. European grapes have a tendency to spread in the wild in California, when permitted to escape to the wild.
Western Wild Grapes
Some grape species grow wild without cultivation such as western wild grape (Vitis californica), which is native to California and hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10. Its heart-shaped leaves have deep indentations creating three to four lobes and leaf edges are deeply tooth-like. Each lobe has a principal vein starting at the base of the leaf close to the stem and then fanning out toward the lobe’s edge in a palmate pattern. In leaves with 3 lobes, the two lobes each comprise net-patterned veins, two veins, Smaller and are distinguishable with the naked eye. This vine produces purple fruit and bees are drawn into its flowers. In fall, its foliage pops into vibrant colors of red, orange and yellow.
Fox Grape Grapes
Fox grape (Vitis labrusca”Niagara”) grows the furthest north being hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8. Its heart-shaped leaves aren’t split into leaflets but do come to a point where the centre vein terminates at the edge of the leaf. Edges are toothed. Leaves grow up to almost 8 inches 7 inches wide and long and drop off the plant through winter , but in a few instances shrivel.
