Spiny Grape

Originally there were two large specimens at an old garden in Sebastopol, Ca., one fruiting, the other never fruited. Also one plant at t...Read Morehe Luther Burbank home garden in Santa Rosa , Ca. Sadly all three are gone now.
My seeds sprouted from the Sebastopol bearing plant. After some years in my poor dry soil, my vines were all but dead. I got some small grafts started on A X r1 rootstock. Will try again from these. I would say V. davidii is NOT drought hardy, preferring deep sandy soils. Before dying back, some of my plants bloomed, but did not set seed. I suspect there may be a degree of dioeciousness present, or cross pollination necessary. The flowers have a peculiar medicinal scent of witch hazel. The fruit is tasty, very similar to Concord grapes. Beautiful red fall coloration. And of course the blunt harmless spines along the stems are most unusual