Are these grapes?

October 28, 2017 12:13 PM

Out on the rear balcony today, I noticed that the vine climbing all over the fence has fruit. (I haven't been out there much.) Now, the question: What kind of fruit is it?

Photos. Are we talking grapes here? The vines do seem to be climbing up, which I understand to be a distinguishing feature of grapevines.

We moved into this place over the summer and I've mostly ignored the vines. Oops? Should I continue to ignore? Winter is coming very soon. Assuming they're edible, anything I should do to give them the best shot at good fruit next year?

posted by veggieboy to Home & Garden (15 answers total)

I’m betting wild grapes, and if so they will not be sweet or very tasty or worth anything other than being pretty and decorative.
posted by slateyness at 12:14 PM on October 28, 2017

Agree - wild grapes. The wild grapes I've had have been sour and tangy with a lot of seed and skin compared to the actual fleshy bits of fruit. They do make pretty good jelly if you get enough.
posted by bunderful at 12:20 PM on October 28, 2017

You can make jam or juice from wild grapes -- since they are often sour, or at least very tart, as mentioned above. Check the seeds of that plant to be sure it's wild grape and not moonseed -- though from what I can tell in your pic, the leaves do look more like grape than moonseed.

Winter is a time to prune back -- this might increase the fruit load next year. Some cultivation and jam prep ideas available here.
posted by halation at 12:25 PM on October 28, 2017 [1 favorite]

Even if you don't eat the fruit, a number of birds will.
posted by ALeaflikeStructure at 12:33 PM on October 28, 2017

I don't think those are grapes. Looks more like Parthenocissus tricuspidata / Boston Ivy to me.
posted by gueneverey at 12:33 PM on October 28, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. I also dug up Canada moonseed as a possibility. It's poisonous. There's enough doubt and not enough upside. I won't be partaking.
posted by veggieboy at 12:40 PM on October 28, 2017 [1 favorite]

I don't have a positive ID, but those aren't grapes.
posted by vers at 12:41 PM on October 28, 2017 [1 favorite]

The leaves look too rounded to be grapes, to me. I wouldn’t eat those.
posted by lydhre at 12:41 PM on October 28, 2017 [3 favorites]

Nthing-- leaves don't look quite grape leaf enough. I wouldn't eat them.
posted by gregr at 12:46 PM on October 28, 2017

They don’t look like grapes at all to me. Not the leaf, not the fruit, not the growth habit.

(Also in the future if you want plant ID, tell us where you are, and include a few different photos that show different aspects/angles of the plant)
posted by SaltySalticid at 12:54 PM on October 28, 2017 [2 favorites]

Well, pick one if it smells like grape jelly, they look like concord grapes, sparsely populated. They do look like grapes to me if they are at least 1/2 inch across. Some folks plant wine varietals that don't look like the everyday. If the fruit are tiny, 1/4 inch then probably not grapes. Concord grapes are very fragrant when crushed. They will smell like grape candy.
posted by Oyéah at 1:04 PM on October 28, 2017 [1 favorite]

Your local edu extension service or plant nursery may likely be able to help you with an ID if you bring/send in leaves and fruits.
posted by vers at 1:10 PM on October 28, 2017 [4 favorites]

Those look like Concord Grapes to me
posted by zippy at 10:03 AM on October 29, 2017

Concord grapes you can smell without even getting close. You'd know if they were concord. I don't really think they are grapes at all either. Stay away.
posted by Toddles at 9:14 PM on October 29, 2017

The leaves are not the right shape, and the berries aren't clustered - definitely not grapes. Good decision.
posted by epanalepsis at 10:40 AM on October 30, 2017