Vitis rupestris

Rock grape, Rock Grape

Family: Vitaceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

Rock grape is a naturalized shrub found in southern North Coast Ranges, southern North Coast Interior, Great Valley, and Central Western California in abandoned vineyards and roadsides at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces small flowers typical of grape species. Growing with climbing or non-climbing stems less than one meter tall and glabrous green branches, it develops ephemeral tendrils when needed for support. Its leaves are kidney-shaped with shallow or three-lobed edges, generally serrate, and folded along the midrib with distinctive stipules longer than 3.5 millimeters. While typically producing no fruit, this adaptable plant thrives in disturbed landscapes across California's central regions.

Habitat: Uncommon. Abandoned vineyards, roadsides

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: < 1000 m

Bioregions: s NCoRO, s NCoRI, GV, CW

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