common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
s frost grape, winter grape, fox grape, and wild grape.) is a
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
Canadian Province
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...
of Ontario.
The genus name '' Vitis'' comes from the Latin word for "vine" and the species name ''vulpina'' comes from the Latin word for "fox-like" or belonging to a fox. It is believed that foxes were attracted to this type of grapevine, and Linnaeus used the term ''vulpina'' to differentiate these smaller wild grapes from the other American known grapes. The more common name, frost grape, refers to the fact that this otherwise acidic/tart-tasting grape becomes more desirable and sweet once it is exposed to a frost. ''Vitis vulpina'' is a high-climbing woody vine with a thick trunk and red tendrils. The grapes and the vine itself have many uses ranging from herbal remedies to edible delicacies.
Description
''Vitis vulpina'' has a relatively long lifespan with a moderate growth rate. Typically the vine will reach a maximum height of about 83 feet. Contrary to the name "Frost Grape," the plant does not do well in cold temperatures below -23 degrees F. The only benefit of the frost on the grape is further ripening of these grapes between the months of September and October. The berry (grape) is round and very tart/acidic, becoming sweet after a
frost
Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above-freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) ...
due to a drop in
acid
In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a sequ ...
levels as the grape decomposes. Along with the ripening of the grapes in colder months, the leaves eventually fall off as the plant enters the
dormant
Dormant, "sleeping", may refer to:
Science
*Dormancy
Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps ...
stage. Grapes tend to shrivel up on the vine, turning into raisins if not harvested before meteorological winter. The shriveled grapes are advantageous for animals looking for food during these months.
The grape vine can be either monoecious or diecious, with flowers appearing in May to June. The flowers are arranged in compound
panicle
A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...
s with 5 yellow
petal
Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...
stamen
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
(floral number is 5). The leaves are arranged alternately with a cordate shape. Venation is palmate. Unlike other wild grapes there are no tufts of
hair
Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals.
The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and f ...
present on the leaves. Tendrils appear every third leaf oppositely are reddish in color and used for growth along surfaces. The grapes are tiny and dark purple.
Habitat
It is most commonly found in moist or dry soils in woods, flood plains, and ravines. Due to its known ability to climb, the vine is often used along fences and trellises for ornamentation.
Uses
The grapes are edible and can be used to make wine, jam, and jellies.
Many parts of the plant are used in herbal medicines. The leaves of the plant are used sometimes for liver treatments because they are considered hepatic. When the leaves are wilted, they are used as a poultice to relieve tenderness of the breasts after childbirth. The bark can be infused to treat urinary problems.