Vitis californica

Vitis californica is a deciduous vine. It is fast growing and can grow to over in length. It climbs on other plants or covers the ground with twisted, woody ropes of vine covered in green leaves. It typically flowers in May and June. In autumn, the leaves turn orange and yellow before falling. woodland in the San Joaquin Valley ==Distribution and habitat==

The species is widespread across much of California as well as southwestern Oregon. It is distributed along the Coast Ranges from Douglas County, Oregon, south to San Luis Obispo County, California; in the Klamath Mountains, the Cascade Range, and the Sierra Nevada from Siskiyou to Kern counties, California; and in the Central Valley. The grapes are a common sight along the banks of the Sacramento River. The plant grows in canyons, alongside springs, and streams. It tends to thrive in damp conditions and so it is common in riparian areas. like most other native California plants it can withstand periods of dry conditions. ==Cultivation==

Viticulture The wild grape is strong and robust, and viticulturists worldwide often use it as rootstock for their wine grapes. It prefers heavier soils. The cultivar 'Walker Ridge' turns yellow in the autumn. ==Uses==

Bunches of small and often sour but edible purple grapes hang from the vines in autumn, which can be made into wine or jelly. The grapes provide an important food source for a variety of wild animals, especially birds, and the foliage provides thick cover. ==References==