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| Classification |
| Kingdom | Plantae – Plants |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta – Vascular plants |
| Superdivision | Spermatophyta – Seed plants |
| Division | Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants |
| Class | Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons |
| Subclass | Rosidae |
| Order | Rhamnales |
| Family | Vitaceae – Grape family |
| Genus | Vitis L. – Grape |
| Species | V. girdiana |
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| Vitis girdiana - Desert Wild Grape |
Vitis girdiana is commonly known as the Desert Wild Grape also known as Valley Grape. It is native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. This species is a woody vine with a coating of woolly hairs, especially on new growth. It is very fast growing and heat tolerant. It grows over 12 m (Over 40 ft) in height. It is a climbing plants, it can grows up to 15 m (50 m) in length. The woolly leaves are heart-shaped to kidney-shaped with serrated edges and sometimes shallowly lobed. The leaves are fuzzy underneath and resemble a heart in shape, with cerrated edges to the pointy tip. The leaves turn to a dark red in the fall, bringing birds along with to feed on the berries before the onset of winter. It blooms in Spring and flower color is greenish-white. The inflorescence is a panicle of unisexual flowers. The fruit is a spherical black grape usually not more than 8 millimeters wide. It has silvery foliage and attractive black fruit. The grapes are tasty for people and wildlife. Vitis girdiana is a great bird plant, for western bluebirds, California Thrashers and other berry eating birds of summer. It grows in canyon and stream bank habitat.
The Cahuilla used it fresh, cooked, or dried into raisins, and also used for made refreshing drinks. People also like Desert Wild Grape plant in their garden as a shade plant.
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