Vitis girdiana

Desert wild grape

Family: Vitaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Desert wild grape is a native shrub found in southwestern California, desert mountains, and possibly San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains in streamsides and canyons at elevations below 1,750 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces small flowers with subtle coloration. Growing with densely woolly stems that remain tomentose as they age, the shrub develops complex branching patterns. Its leaves are heart-shaped to kidney-shaped, typically with 3 to 5 shallow lobes, featuring serrated edges and a soft, woolly texture. The fruit develops as small black spherical berries less than 8 millimeters wide, with a skin that separates easily from the pulp.

Habitat: Streamsides, canyons

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: < 1750 m

Bioregions: SW, DMtns, expected SnBr, SnGb

California counties: San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, Kern, Ventura, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Yolo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.