| In the wild, Vitis californica is native to southwestern Oregon and California. In riparian woodlands, canyons and forests, you might see this wild grape scrambling up trees such as oaks, cottonwoods, bays or buckeyes. Although a beautiful sight, valley oaks and cottonwoods may succumb if the vine climbs into the upper canopy. It is often found near river and creek beds where moisture is available most of the year, although, as with many natives, these vines exhibit quite a bit of drought tolerance.
Vitis californica is important to wildlife as it provides shelter and food for many animals including coyote, opossum, skunks, California quail, mountain bluebird and many other creatures.
If you think our native grape is only suited to wild environments, be assured that it can be a wonderful addition to the home garden, if you have the space for it. ‘Roger’s Red’ can quickly cover a trellis, arbor, tree, or shed for that matter, in just a few years. We have this vine growing over an arbor, which gives us fairly dense shade in the summer. We have enjoyed many patio lunches underneath in what would otherwise be oppressive heat!
This plant will grace your home garden with beauty year ‘round. Bright green spring growth and the gray-green summer color make it a good garden companion. Then in autumn, this plant really shines, with its purple grape clusters dangling against the blazing orange, red and plum foliage. In winter, enjoy the structure made by the gnarly, twisted trunk and branches, that form even in the first few years.
For home garden settings, water deeply every 2 weeks, or less. Pruning can be vigorous, and done during winter dormancy. Early training of the trunk system will reward you with a pleasing shape as it grows.
Most sources suggest partial shade, as this vine would enjoy in the wild. However, here in my Sonoma garden, with a western exposure, full sun and hot temperatures, it seems to be quite happy. It can tolerate a range of soils from clay to sandy loam, but does prefer good drainage.
In the fall, once the grapes are ripe, expect a whole host of wildlife to move in. The most fun to watch are the birds, who perform some real acrobatics to eat the grapes hanging down. We have seen Western bluebirds, robins, mockingbirds, towhees, kinglets, and many others enjoying the fruit and insects. The grapes are tasty for humans as well, but seedy! If you have the patience, juice, jams and jellies can be made from the fruit. | In researching this article, I was able to contact the noted horticulturalist, Roger Raiche, the namesake of ‘Roger’s Red.’ He was generous enough to discuss the origins and recent developments of the lineage of the vine, and revealed that it is, “now considered to be a hybrid between V. californica, the California grape, and a European grape (V. vinifera) cultivar called ‘Alicante Bouschet’, a deep red-fruited (pulp, skin and juice) grape grown widely in the last century in Sonoma and many other counties.
This was determined by a geneticist, Jerry Dangle, at Plant Foundations Services at UC Davis, by comparing various genetic markers that are unique to each grape variety.
Roger continues: “I originally collected it in late October 1983, growing along Palmer Creek Rd. W of Healdsburg, growing among yellow fall-colored V. californica. Initially, and for many years afterward, I considered it to be simply a red fall leaf form of the native grape, and thus it is still sold widely as such. In the last decade or more, there has been considerable speculation whether ‘Rogers Red’ was a pure V. californica, or another variety entirely, or a hybrid. Jerry Dangle’s work proves the case to be the latter.”
Thus, when discussing this grape, the correct designation will be Vitis ‘Rogers Red’ or V. X ‘Rogers Red’ but not V. californica ‘Rogers Red’.” |
