Vitis riparia – Riverbank Grape – 2-Gallon

The most common grape in New York; here in Ulster County there are two other species, Summer Grape (V. aestivalis) and Fox Grape (V. labrusca); the three can be difficult to tell apart. We offer this grape primarily for its wildlife value. The small fruits are usually too sour for human consumption off the vine, though they can be used for jellies, jams and wine; and occasional plants produce a sweeter berry. That small size makes them very appealing to birds though and they are an important food source for migrating species in the Fall. Riverbank Grape has been used to increase cold hardiness in commercial varieties of grape; two varieties we offer on occasion, ‘Beta’ and ‘King of the North’, owe their extreme cold-hardiness to the presence of Riverbank Grape in their parentage.