The wild concord grape is one of a very few grape varieties native to the United States.  We see lots of them in the New Jersey woodlands climbing up on trees and sometimes telephone poles.

Grapes are easy to identify by their leaves which are shaped quite a bit like a maple leaf.

Grape vines are an important part of our ecosystem, providing food, shelter and more to our native animals, birds and insects.

Grapes can for a dense canopy to provide shade and shelter.  The grapes are eaten by just about any creature that can reach them.  We humans can also harvest and eat them.  Once you get out the many, many seeds, they make great jam and juice.

I’ve personally seen a squirrel peeling the bark off a vine and bring it up to its nest for construction.

Keep an eye out for them.  The grapes should be on the vines now – if they haven’t already been eaten.