VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Vitis californica | California Wild Grape 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Riparian vegetation provides important habitat for wildlife [15].
California wild grape is among the most valuable of the riparian plant
species.  As well as providing cover, it is an important animal food.
The fruits are a fall staple for many animal species, including coyote,
opossum, western spotted skunk, striped skunk, wood duck, band-tailed
pigeon, California quail, mountain bluebird, and other passerines
[2,16].  Black-tailed deer browse the leaves and young stems.
Additionally, it is browsed by all classes of domestic livestock [24].


PALATABILITY : 
California wild grape browse has been rated fair to poor for sheep,
goats, and black-tailed deer and poor to useless for cattle and horses
[24].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
California wild grape is planted for riparian restoration [8].  It is
easily started from cuttings [13,23] and shows favorable rates of
establishment.  Containerized cuttings transplanted onto the north banks
of the Crescent Bypass and the South Fork of the Kings River showed less
than 2 percent mortality after 2 years [20].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
California wild grape is of great importance to wine industries
throughout the world.  This species was used to save the European wine
industry between 1870 and 1900 when most wine grapes (Vitis vinifera)
were killed by leaf- and root-attacking grape phylloxera aphids
(Daktulosphaira vitifoliae).  Since that time, nearly all commercial
wine grapes grown anywhere in the world have been grafted onto
rootstocks of resistant California wild grape cultivars.

The grapes of this species are palatable to humans.  They are eaten raw
or made into jelly.


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Trees such as valley oak and Fremont cottonwood often die after
California wild grape climbs into their canopies [11,24].

California wild grape is a host of the western grapeleaf skeletonizer
(Harrisina brillians).  This moth can decimate commercial vinyards [25].

Related categories for Species: Vitis californica | California Wild Grape