Practical
Plants

Vitis labrusca

Northern Fox Grape

a deciduous member of the Vitis genus in the family Vitaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Vitaceae
Genus
Vitis
Foliage
deciduous
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
15 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or dried for winter use[1][11][18][21][5]. The fruit can also be made into pies, preserves etc[10]. A distinctive musky aroma and taste that is not acceptable to many people[3][10][12]. The fruit is best after a frost[2]. Sweetish[17], it contains 6.6 - 16.6% sugars[7]. The fruit is up to 2cm in diameter[12] and is produced in fairly large bunches[14]. Young leaves - cooked[20][4]. A pleasant acid flavour, they are cooked as greens or can be wrapped around other foods and then baked, when they impart a pleasant flavour[10]. Young tendrils - raw or cooked[20][22][4]. Sap. Best harvested in the spring or early summer, it has a sweet flavour and makes a pleasant drink[2]. The sap should not be harvested in quantity or it will weaken the plant[K]. An oil is obtained from the seed[18][21]. This would only really be a viable crop if large quantities of grapes were being grown for wine.

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Oil
Plant part
Sap

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are hepatic[16]. An infusion has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea, hepatitis, stomach aches, fevers, headaches and thrush[13][16]. Externally, the leaves are poulticed and applied to sore breasts, rheumatic joints and headaches[13][16]. The wilted leaves have been applied as a poultice to the breasts to draw away soreness after the birth of a child[257. An infusion of the bark has been used to treat urinary complaints[16].

Product or use
Miscellany
Product or use
Poultice

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A yellow dye is obtained from the fresh or dried leaves[6]. The plant is used as a rootstock for the common grape, V. vinifera, especially in areas where phylloxera disease is prevalent[21].

Product or use
Dye

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Maine to S. Carolina and Tennessee. Locally naturalized in Europe[19].
Habitat
Wet or dry thickets and woodland borders[17].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[K]. Six weeks cold stratification improves the germination rate, and so stored seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is obtained. Germination should take place in the first spring, but sometimes takes another 12 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant out in early summer. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, December/January in a frame. These cuttings can be of wood 15 - 30cm long or they can be of short sections of the stem about 5cm long with just one bud at the top of the section. In this case a thin, narrow strip of the bark about 3cm long is removed from the bottom half of the side of the stem. This will encourage callusing and the formation of roots. Due to the size of these cuttings they need to be kept in a more protected environment than the longer cuttings. Layering.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a deep rich moist well-drained moderately fertile loam[1][12]. Grows best in a calcareous soil[12]. Succeeds in sun or partial shade though a warm sunny position is required for the fruit to ripen[12]. The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. Plants climb by means of tendrils[9], they grow particularly well into elm trees[8]. The flowers have the sweet scent of mignonette[15]. Any pruning should be carried out in winter when the plants are dormant otherwise they bleed profusely[9][12]. Cultivated for its edible fruit in N. America, where it can produce yields of up to 17 tonnes per hectare[10]. It is the parent of several named varieties[1][17][10]. However, it is of no value as a fruit bearer in Britain, requiring hotter summers than are usually experienced in this country in order to ripen its fruit[3]. Another report says that this species is of interest for its hardiness and its ability to produce crops in cooler climates[12]. Resistant to Phylloxera disease, a disease that almost destroyed the European grape crops. This species can be used as a rootstock in areas where the disease is prevalent[21] and can also be used in breeding programmes with V. vinifera in order to impart resistance to that species[10]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[12].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩1↩2

  5. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  6. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  7. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩

  8. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩

  9. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩1↩2

  10. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  12. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  13. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2

  14. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  15. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  16. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  17. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  18. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  19. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  20. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  21. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  22. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

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