Virginia Tech Dendrology

summer grape Vitaceae Vitis aestivalis Michx. symbol: VIAE
Leaf: Alternate, simple, cordate, 4 to 6 inches long, toothed and often lobed, green above, red woolly hairs beneath.
Flower: Green, generally not showy, borne on panicles, appearing in late spring.
Fruit: An edible berry, 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter, occurring in clusters, usually dark blue or purple at maturity, often with a glaucous bloom, maturing in early fall.
Twig: Stems are mostly rounded, with rounded buds that have two bud scales; terminal bud is false; branching tendrils grow opposite the leaves, do not have adhesive tips and are generally absent every third node, woody partitions across pith at nodes.
Bark: Reddish brown, long splits develop with coarse peeling, narrow strips.
Form: A vine that climbs to 70 feet with its curly tendrils; it can smother tree canopies.
Looks like: muscadine grape - Japanese honeysuckle

Additional Range Information: Vitis aestivalis is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information