Vitis aestivalis, the summer grape, or pigeon grape is a species of grape native to eastern North America from southern Ontario east to Maine, west to Oklahoma, and south to Florida and Texas. It is a vigorous vine, growing to 10 m or more high on trees. The leaves are 7–20 cm long, suborbicular, and usually a little broader than long; they are variable in shape, from unlobed to deeply three- or five-lobed, green above, and densely hairy below. The flowers are produced at every third node It is the official state grape of Missouri. Summer grape prefers a drier upland habitat.

It has been claimed that a variety of V. aestivalis was cultivated by the Cherokees and used in some of their sacred rituals.

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See also

  • American wine
  • Missouri wine
  • New York wine

References

  • Flora of North America: Vitis aestivalis
  • Plants of the World Online: Vitis aestivalis
  • Vitis aestivalis 'Norton', from a Missouri Botanical Gardens website
  • Official state grape of Missouri, from a Missouri General Assembly website