A fast, leafy, deciduous vine that produces edible grapes in summer and dense shade over an arbor. European table grapes are the type suited to the low desert, and with a sturdy structure and winter pruning they do well in Phoenix.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub schedule in our Landscape Care guide. Deep, infrequent watering works best, with steady moisture while leaves and fruit clusters form. Vines need little water once they drop their leaves in winter.
Pruning
Prune hard each winter while the vine is dormant. Fruit comes on new shoots from last year’s canes, so leaving the right canes each year is what keeps a vine productive.
Varieties
Low-desert gardens do best with European table grapes such as Thompson Seedless, Flame Seedless, Perlette, Ruby Seedless and Black Monukka.
Pests
Watch for grape leaf skeletonizer caterpillars and leafhoppers on the leaves, and powdery mildew. Birds go for ripe fruit; netting is the practical fix.
How our designers use it
Shade over an arbor
Trained over a pergola or ramada, it gives leafy shade in summer and lets winter sun through after the leaves drop.
An edible garden
Our designers pair it with citrus, figs and herbs to build a productive kitchen garden that still looks intentional.
Along a fence or trellis
Trained flat on wires, it fits a narrow side yard. We avoid chain-link, which makes pruning and harvest difficult.
Good to know
Pets
The ASPCA warns that grapes and raisins have been linked to kidney failure in dogs. Consider fruit drop if dogs share the yard.
Around the pool
Leaves fall in late fall and ripe fruit drops and draws bees and birds. We generally keep vines away from the water.
