About Vitis californica Benth.
Vitis californica Benth. is a deciduous, fast-growing vine that can reach over 10 metres (33 ft) in length. It climbs on other plants or covers the ground using twisted, woody rope-like stems covered in green leaves. It typically blooms in May and June, and its leaves turn orange and yellow before falling in autumn. This species is widespread across most of California and southwestern Oregon. Its distribution ranges along the Coast Ranges from Douglas County, Oregon, south to San Luis Obispo County, California; it also grows in the Klamath Mountains, the Cascade Range, the Sierra Nevada from Siskiyou to Kern counties, California, and in the California Central Valley. Grapes of this species are a common sight along the banks of the Sacramento River. The plant grows in canyons, next to springs and streams. It thrives in damp conditions, so it is common in riparian areas. It can grow on both sloped and flat ground in wetland and forested habitats. Once mature, it can withstand periods of dry conditions, like most other native California plants. In autumn, bunches of small, often sour but edible purple grapes grow on this vine. These grapes can be made into wine or jelly. They also act as an important food source for a wide variety of wild animals, especially birds, while the vine's foliage provides thick cover for wildlife.
