Coyote grape facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coyote grape |
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| Genus: |
Vitis
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| Species: |
girdiana
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The Vitis girdiana is a type of wild grape plant. People often call it the desert wild grape or valley grape. You can find this plant growing naturally in southern California in the United States. It also grows in Baja California, Mexico.
Contents
What is the Desert Wild Grape?
The desert wild grape is a woody vine. This means it's a plant that climbs or trails. Its stems are a bit like wood. New parts of the vine often have soft, woolly hairs.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this grape plant are special. They feel woolly and can be shaped like a heart or a kidney. Their edges have small teeth. Sometimes, the leaves also have shallow curves or "lobes."
The plant produces flowers in a cluster. This cluster is called a panicle. Each flower is either male or female.
The Fruit
After the flowers, small fruits grow. These fruits are round and black. They are a type of grape. Each grape is usually quite small, less than 8 millimeters wide. That's about the size of a small pea!
Where Does it Grow?
You can find the desert wild grape in specific places. It likes to grow in canyons and along streambanks. These areas are usually found in the hills and mountains of California and Baja California.
How People Used the Desert Wild Grape
Long ago, different Native American groups used the fruit of the desert wild grape. They found many ways to enjoy this wild food.
Kumeyaay People
The Kumeyaay people ate the fruit in different ways. They enjoyed the grapes fresh from the vine. They also dried them to make raisins. Sometimes, they would cook the grapes for a meal. The Kumeyaay also used the plant's sap. They would rub the sap on their hair. They believed it helped keep their hair healthy and strong.
Luiseño People
The Luiseño people had their own name for this grape. They called it Makwit. They would cook the fruit to prepare it for eating. It was an important part of their diet.
Cahuilla People
The Cahuilla people also used the desert wild grape. They ate the fruit fresh, cooked, or dried into raisins. They were also known to make a type of wine from the grapes.
Gallery
- Vitis girdiana
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