Vitis aestivalis Michx.

Summer grape, grape

About plant names...

Summer grapes are robust eastern North American native plants.

Identification: Summer grapes are vines that clamber over other plants, attaching themselves with tendrils that wind themselves into coiled springs. Vines become woody, and can reach 70' (21 m) in length and 5" (12 cm) in diameter. Leaves are alternate, and 3-8" (7.6-20 cm) in size, and highly variable in shape. They are roughly oval, often with three to five lobes. Leaf undersides are glaucous. The inner vertices of deeply lobed leaves are rounded rather than sharp. Leaf stems (called petioles) are 3-5” long. Flowers occur in dense greenish panicles that look a little like fuzzy versions of the grapes to come, appearing Apr-Jun. Fruits are dark blue to black, somewhat glaucous, ¼-¾" (8-20 mm) wide, in large clusters.

6/1/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 19 × 14" (48 × 36 cm) ID is uncertain

Similar species:

	You are here Vitis aestivalis	Vitis cinerea var. floridana
Common Name	summer grape	Simpson’s grape
Plant	Vines become woody, and can reach 70' (21 m) in length and 5" (12 cm) in diameter.	Vine branchlets are angled.
Flowers	Dense greenish panicles, appearing Apr-Jun.	Flowering occurs in May-Jun. Flowers are in clusters 4-10" (10-25 cm) in size.
Leaves	Alternate, 3-8" (7.6-20 cm) in size, and highly variable in shape. Leaf undersides are glaucous. Leaf stems (petioles) are 3-5” long.	Leaf blades 2-8" (6-20 cm) in size, on petioles of roughly equal length. Leaf undersides are not glaucous.
Fruit	Dark blue to black, somewhat glaucous, ¼-¾" (8-20 mm) wide, in large clusters.	Grapes are not usually glaucous, ⅛-¼" (4-8 mm) wide, and black.
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Drier areas.	Damp areas.
Type	Wild	Wild

Edibility: Edible, but not especially tasty: they vary from sweet to tart, and contain up to four small, hard seeds. They are sometimes used for jams or pies. Their flavor is said to improve after a frost. These grapes can be used to make wine, but are not widely favored for that purpose.

Online References:

Vitus aestivalis var. bicolor on www.carolinanature.com

Vitis aestivalis on the USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database

Vitis aestivalis on Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

Vitis aestivalis at Illinois Wildflowers

Vitis aestivalis at the Island Creek Elementary School's Study of Northern Virginia Ecology

6/1/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 14 × 9" (35 × 23 cm) ID is uncertain

8/7/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm) ID is uncertain

8/19/2018 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 6" (13 × 16 cm)

6/18/2015 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 15 × 10" (37 × 25 cm)

2/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

9/13/2015 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4½ × 7" (11 × 17 cm)

10/23/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 28 × 19" (71 × 47 cm) ID is uncertain

6/18/2015 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 5" (20 × 13 cm)

6/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 11 × 7" (27 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

6/3/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell

6/8/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm)

6/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm) ID is uncertain

4/29/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire

4/11/2015 · Big Cypress Bend, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, Florida
≈ 7 × 5" (18 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

4/11/2015 · Big Cypress Bend, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, Florida
≈ 9 × 6" (23 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

10/23/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 11 × 7" (27 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

7/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 19 × 12" (47 × 31 cm)

4/29/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 3½ × 5" (8.7 × 13 cm)

Vitis aestivalis description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 11 Oct 2021.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

8/12/2017 · Bates Land and Blackman Land, Groton Conservation Trust, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 4½" (9.7 × 12 cm)

9/13/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 10 × 15" (26 × 39 cm) ID is uncertain

10/23/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4 × 5" (10 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain

5/27/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm)

6/18/2015 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 4" (14 × 10 cm)

6/3/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell

8/7/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm) ID is uncertain

8/26/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 14 × 21" (34 × 52 cm) ID is uncertain

9/13/2015 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 7" (13 × 17 cm)

6/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

6/18/2015 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 10" (16 × 25 cm)

2/23/2011
≈ 7 × 5" (17 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

6/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 9" (14 × 22 cm) ID is uncertain

10/23/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4 × 6" (10 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

6/21/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 2½' (1.2 × 0.8 m) ID is uncertain

Range:

About this map...