Vitis labrusca
fox grape
Overview
Vitis labrusca is a vigorous woody deciduous vine that climbs 15-30 feet (4.6-9 m) or more by forked tendrils, with shaggy bark peeling in strips on older stems. The leaves are large, 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) wide, broadly heart-shaped, shallowly three-lobed or unlobed, toothed, dark green above and densely white- to rust-woolly beneath. Unlike most grapes, it bears a tendril or flower cluster opposite nearly every leaf rather than skipping every third node. Small greenish flowers in branched clusters open in late spring and are fragrant. Round fruit 0.5-1 inch (12-25 mm) across ripen in fall in purple-black, red, or amber, with thick slip skins that separate from the pulp and a strong musky, foxy flavor and aroma. It grows fast, can blanket supports and nearby plants, and needs yearly pruning to stay in bounds. The vine is the source of Concord and many other slip-skin grapes.
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia and Ontario south to Georgia and west to the Mississippi River. Grows in moist woods, thickets, stream banks, clearings, and fencerows on a range of well-drained to damp soils.Suggested Uses
Grown on arbors, fences, and trellises for fruit, juice, jelly, and wine and for shade and screening, spaced 8-10 feet (2.4-3 m) apart. The flowers draw bees and the fruit feeds birds and mammals. Its fast, heavy growth and yearly pruning needs make it less suited to small spaces or low, light supports.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height15' - 30'
Width/Spread6' - 10'
Bloom Information
Flowers in late spring, mainly May through June, with small fragrant greenish clusters opening as the leaves expand. Bloom lasts about 1-2 weeks. Fruit follows and ripens from late summer into fall depending on region.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun on deep, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and tolerates a range of soils and brief wet spells. Water young vines through dry periods until rooted, after which established plants are fairly drought-tolerant. The vine is vigorous and needs a sturdy arbor, fence, or trellis and yearly dormant pruning to control its spread and keep fruiting wood productive. Black rot, downy and powdery mildew, and Japanese beetles affect it, more so in humid summers. Birds take ripening fruit. Plants are long-lived and fruit for decades with regular care.Pruning
Prune hard in late winter while fully dormant, removing most of the previous year's growth and leaving a few renewal canes with a set number of buds, since fruit forms on new shoots from one-year-old wood. Summer thinning of excess shoots opens the canopy to light and air. Unpruned vines grow dense and tangled and fruit poorly.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter