EatTheWeeds: Episode 32: Wild Grapes

[@hardsixteenyeah1]

@@EatTheWeeds In moments like these (and lots other ones, of course), I'd wish to understand english language so perfectly .... .Amazing beginnig, thanks.It's a real pleasure to listen all these fabulous chirping.

[@dwiggs77]

Vitis labrusca (Fox grape) is native to the southeastern US so is V. aestivalis (Summer Grape) and v. rotundifolia (muscadine) now called Muscadinia rotundifolia because it has 2 extra genes not common with other grapes which makes them truly unique(and incompatible with the others mentioned) . the common European grape, Vitis vinifera was crossed with v.labrusca most notably to produce the concord grape.which the original vine still lives in concord Mass.

[@leonaleona1628]

I just made 4 jars of wild grape jelly! So yummy! ☺

[@kingcollie]

@EatTheWeeds Thanks so much. I had started to harvest the patch I found but now I know to leave it for another month or two. Thanks again Deane, cheers!

[@M3d1aTake0ut]

there is no grape jelly/jam/preserve better than wild grape jams, jellies and preserves. SO delicious!!!!

[@enochseyes3]

Got a lot around here. I've been harvesting. 2 seeds per grape, and saving many for when I move. They're very small, tart and delicious. I just juiced them today, and using Stevia to make home made jelly. Drank some of the juice and it is 'so good.'. Another lady was picking the leaves when they were still green for stuffed grape leaves. (Italian like me.) :P

[@EatTheWeeds]

@musicoutsidethebox Yes, wild grapes grow in your area. Make sure the seeds are teardrop shaped, not half moon shape or with angles.

[@EatTheWeeds]

@FloridaAdventuring Wild grapses, paricularly the ones here in the South, are very sporadic in fruiting. They can go for years without fruiting and then one year a bounty. You just have to look around every year for which ones are fruiting.

[@Ducksbyday]

Great video! one of my favorite places to hunt quail in southern nevada has a ton of wild grapes. we love to stop and eat the grapes, then continue our hunt for the delicious quail.

[@dewaynebonds5275]

Breakfast today was about a half gallon of Vitus aestivalis so very good. I actually just swallow the seeds, Im sure they have some nutritional value. Thanks Greene

[@EatTheWeeds]

I would like to do one on lambs quarters but the only source nearby is now a subdivision.I'll keep looking because they are a great wild edible, among the best.

[@kingcollie]

And a big thank you for the immediate reply!

[@FloridaAdventuring]

Hello Green Deane, Great videos. Maybe you can answer this question. Why is that the great majority (maybe 98%) of wild grape vines I see during the season in which grapes are ripe, don't have grapes on them? We have tons of wild grape vines around here, but I've found maybe 10 or 12 bunches.

[@EatTheWeeds]

In the accompanying article on my website I do talk about that, and also in one of the Mead Garden videos. While most grape leaves are edible most aren't too palatable. The local muscadine leaves turn into sheets of tough plastic when cooked, some of the escaped cultivars are slightly better, they are not great fare locally.

[@FloridaAdventuring]

Thanks for your reply. That clears up the mystery.

[@EatTheWeeds]

Wild grapes can contain a huge amount of acid. I once crushed up some with my hands to make jelly and the acid burned my hands. One has to eat wild grapes carefully.

[@kingcollie]

@EatTheWeeds Thanks, I feel silly referring to it as a conglomerate now haha. Would you mind sharing which two are are not edible? I am an aspiring Botanist and there are still some things I'm not familiar with. I always make sure I learn the plant before doing anything with it. I find It's best to bring a camera, take a few photos of the plant and study them and the plant you assume it is. After I am sure of at least what genus it is and whether or not it is poisonous, then I make my move.

[@dygitalduchess]

Greetings from Northern Virginia! ...I just found some wild grapes growing near my home and I wanted to be sure they are edible. Very informative...Thank you for posting this video!

[@RaidenTheAlmighty]

I found an odd looking grape vine in my yard. It's clearly a hybrid of some kind, because the tendril is forked. However, it's stem is a pinkish purple color, as are the emerging shoots and leaves. The leaves themselves have five lobes, but I'm not confusing it with virginia creeper. I'd like to know what it is, as I've never seen a similar variety in my area.

[@b1gje55e]

We have mustang grapes in Texas that looks very similar to these ones. I ate them since i was young. Here recently I ate some that I thought to be the same ones from my childhood. After eating a couple my lips began to itch. I believe it was from the grapes skin. Is that species of grape or just my reaction to it?

[@Hoshimaru57]

Oh, wild grapes! We used to have these in my neighborhood. They were edible but incredibly sour and had large seeds and tended to grow high up.

[@EatTheWeeds]

@kingcollie Vitis riparia are ripe when they are black, and surprisingly they are ripe in the fall, just as they are here.

[@EatTheWeeds]

The Virginia Creeper really doesn't look much like the grape but they do tend to grow in the same place. The creeper has five leaves and usually bright red young stems. Grapes are single leaved, so to speak.

[@MadBadVoodo]

Great Video!! Five Stars!!

[@wilecatrexy]

Here in central texas, we have the wild mustang grapes, which have split tendrils.

[@thedruidherbalist]

there around here in west pa.but they have blue berryish taste but there on a grape vine

[@EatTheWeeds]

@RyanRuscitto I was on the Seminole Trail. Unfortunately there is no such book, particulary for our area.

[@tdiddle8950]

Thanks for this video. I knew those grapes in Florida as "fox grapes." Being from Georgia and Alabama (where I had never seen fox grapes), when I first saw the fruit of the fox grape in Florida, I knew it had to be edible because of the leaf structure. I went to the library, this was a long time ago, and looked it up, and I found that yes, they are edible. Bonus, I found out through my research that scuppernongs and muscadines, both native and wild, are part of the Vitis genus. BTW, way up north, in Georgia and Alabama, wild "scuppernongs" are noticably larger than they are in Florida, and I have most often found them in wet areas, particularly around free-flowing streams. Another aside, I have known people who grew cultivated scuppernongs, and thusly I know that people way up here call the white grapes, which are always cultivated, "scuppernongs," and they call any purple grapes, which are all wild so far as I know, "muscadines." Thanks for the tip that fox grape leaves are edible. I plan to get back to Florida real soon, and since grape leaves are somewhat difficult to source (for making roll ups) and expensive, I'll be glad to know that I can use fox grape leaves when I find them.

[@odin422]

great videos

[@kingcollie]

Hey there Green Deane, great videos. I'm sure they will be a good reference guide for me when I venture into the bush up here in Canada. I have a question about wild grapes: I found a nice patch of Vitis riparia and I was wondering when I should harvest them/ when are they ripe? And would the harvest time be different in Ontario Canada from the harvest time in Florida?

[@MoniMeka]

i think there one those in this park i go walking in sometimes. there's a bunch of trees and weeds growing there. they look just like grapes. i didn't eat them because i was not completely sure, but they did look like grapes. i just think that's so cool. LOL

[@700eyesonly007]

I have wild grapes in my yard also (Central, NY) the comment about the Virginia creeper makes me nervous about eating my yard grapes because I'm not sure, I asked about some other wild plants I have in my yard on the thistle #11 video, could I send an email and picture of my grapes (and other wild plants) to see if they are safe and edible? Right now wouldn't probably do much good, but about mid summer they will all be very robust, please do let me know. Identifying can be very hard. Thank you

[@bretturner3413]

Nice video! Where the video you do receipt for vinagre,thanks.

[@nancyfahey7518]

I have a native grape plant growing for a bonsai. I know this because the leaves taste grossly bitter. The plant is a beauty though.

[@GameHunterMaster]

I see that you haven't talked about Seagrapes on this channel. I would live to see a video on them.

[@brentsharp2197]

Great advice!

[@eluning4]

Hi EatTheWeeds, Last summer we came across a large wild grape vine here in Cupertino California growing along side a stream. We harvested several bunches but later tossed them because they made our lips and throat tingle, itch, and burn. Any comments on that? Thanks.

[@KimIsMissing]

We live in ohio and I have grape vines in the back yard growing aorund a fence but there dosnt seem to be any grapes wanting to grow, I know it is grapes because of the taste of the tendril at the end... is there a certain time of year or...

[@EatTheWeeds]

@D7aaron Hmmmm... Pepper vine perhaps? Ampelopsis arborea

[@EatTheWeeds]

@KungFuKid1015 They look like grapes but... take a good look at a seed. It should be tear drop shaped. You do not want to see any flat sides or angles, or crescent moon shapes.

[@EatTheWeeds]

@miketonon Drying gives a wider favor spectrum from the same plant.

[@thedruidherbalist]

@BJBOBBIJO have you tryed mixing them with elderberries its really good

[@passthemarley]

great vid, can you make grape seed oil from wild grape seeds? They are all over IL Thanks

[@kingcollie]

Sorry, I have one more question. I was informed that all conglomerate berries that are red or black are edible, is this fact true?

[@EatTheWeeds]

It has been my experience that wild grapes do not produce every year, or do so irradically.

[@dewaynebonds5275]

The escaped cultivars make for a very deep tart flavor jelly, the muscadines make a better wine.

[@tdiddle8950]

I actually found this video by searching YT with, "Eat the Weeds sea grapes." Since the last video I watched identified you as living somewhat north of Lantana, FL, I figured surely you would have a vid about sea grapes. You did say at the end of your video that there is info on your website about this plant. I really like just watching it on YT...but okay. I once hot smoked chicken wings (on the beach) with sea grape wood...from tree-form sea grapes...in Naples, which was common on that beach. Brotha, those were the best chicken wings that I had EVER had. And that includes my apple wood hot smoked wings too. I'll check out your website, but here's my official request for a YT sea grape video. Also....what's up with Spanish bayonet? It's flowers are edible, but not the root...even though it's in the Yucca genus?

[@EatTheWeeds]

@rosabellis It helps if one knows where on earth you were hiking. Not knowing my North American guess would be the Moon Seed, Menispermum candense. Not edible.

[@23sinnocent]

Hi, EatTheWeeds. :) I have questions for you: what color are young wild fox grapes at higher altitude (2,000 ft)? Green, or white? I found a white fruit, resembling grapes & even growing on a vine ....can this be an edible wild grape?

[@23sinnocent]

I really like your speech on wild grapes. Thanks a bunch! :) ...Get it?

[@georgekhoury583]

Very informative video thank you so much for sharing. Please I have a few questions..(1). are there edible wild grapevines that are green in color or are the Edible Ones only reddish in color The Vines themselves? (2) Is it true that if a Vine does not create grapes, more energy and nutrients will therefore go into the leaves themselves? If so are there Edible grape leaves that you've seen that do not create grapes? (3) I found a vine the leaves are extremely wide and large and the pistols are split so what you're saying is this particular Vine somewhere down the line has been crossed with a muscadine ? And you're saying vines that are crossed with muscadines here in Florida have a more under zaira bull taste is that what I'm understanding? reason why I'm trying to find a certain type of leaf is because I love rolled stuffed grape leaves. And I've been trying for the longest time to find a leaf that is wide enough to roll with so I can grow and have fresh ones on hand for myself instead of buying the Pickled ones from the stores. I have no problem figuring out lemons and figs and Etc but had no idea how confusing and how much work is involved in this so many varieties of different grapes it's unbelievable but very interesting. Thank you so much again for your video and any information would be greatly appreciated.

[@greendeane1]

Yes, there are green when ripe and edible. Our grape leaves in Florida are difficult to eat. Very bitter.

[@DANGJOS]

how do you tell the difference between wild grapes and ampelopsis?

[@EatTheWeeds]

Several grapes are called fox grapes. If it is a Vitis it is edible.

[@EatTheWeeds]

No! Emphatically no! Virgina Creeper is Parthenocissus quinquefolia, where as grapes are Vitis... That said, wild grapes can be quite sour.

[@heismyhightower]

Very interesting. Is a FOX GRAPE considered a eatable wild grape? blessings

[@tdiddle8950]

When I lived in Florida, I knew the grapes featured in this video as "fox grapes." I have only seen them in Florida. I grew up in the Atlanta area and there are only muscadines (another Vitis sp.) there.

[@doglife2107]

I found a few trees with little purple berrys with tiny seeds their was only a few on the tree maby 15 I tasted one it was sweet I live in north America could I send a pic I want to eat them also theirs ones on a vine I have good pics of them could I send em u you tell me thx man for what you do

[@EatTheWeeds]

You can post it on the UFO page (unidentified flowering objects) on the Green Deane Forum.

[@doglife2107]

alright ill try n figure it out when I get a chance

[@EatTheWeeds]

Where I'm standing.

[@EatTheWeeds]

@kingcollie The correct term is "aggregate fruit" Conglomerate seems to be an internet invention. There is one survivalist who teaches that 99% of them are edible. I can think of two that are not. So while it's perhaps more true than not, it is no short cut. Learn the plant.

[@dewaynebonds5275]

The best tasting muscadines are the ones that have fallen to the ground.

[@tdiddle8950]

Upon further research, I see that sea grapes are locked down. A shame, as I know that sea grape jelly is a part of the "Old Florida," which the very same officials propound.

[@hanado2771]

your video makes my eyes going to blind

[@angrynhpatriot]

i got soooo drunk off of wild grapes when i was a youngster

[@muddog1561]

I want some,, lol.

[@fishzmfgo1]

Wild grapes to me taste sour and the skins on them are leathery could be the. Variety growing across the street from me lol

[@EatTheWeeds]

I need to be more clear on this. Virgina Creeper is NOT edible. It can ruin your kidneys and put you on a dialysis machine for the rest of your life. Do not eat them.

[@rotiv]

native to where?

[@ThatStevenLouis]

He said "here in Florida" like six times within the first five minutes of the video.......

[@dewaynebonds5275]

This guy is turned on