Oregon Grape vs Amur Grape

Oregon Grape is an evergreen shrub native to North America, found along the Pacific coast. In spring, the bright golden-yellow flowers appear in clusters above the leaves. These flowers eventually give way to edible blue berries in late summer. While not a true grape, the berries appear grape-like due to their colouring and clustered growth. They can be eaten fresh, but the sour taste and high amounts of natural pectin make them well suited for preserves.

The Oregon Grape has leaves that are glossy, leathery, and spiny-edged. This feature gives it its alternate name of Holly-leaved Barberry. When the leaves emerge in the spring they are a bronze-red colour. In the summer they transition to green, followed by bright red to deep burgundy in the fall. Leaves are retained throughout the winter and colder temperatures cause the leaves to turn purplish bronze, providing year round interest to the landscape.

The Amur Grape is an ornamental grape that fruits dark, sour, juicy grapes later in the fall. It is native to Asia, and found growing wild in Russia and China. It’s one of the most cold-hardy grape varieties, prized for its foliage that turns from a bright green to a deep crimson and purple in the fall. The flowers are small and white, usually appearing in the beginning of May.

The name for the Amur Grape comes from the Amur Valley, located in Russia. It’s extremely resistant to frost. The berries are good for fresh eating, but also make a flavorful addition to any homemade wines and preserves. The leaves are also edible, and are commonly used in salads. This plant does best with a trellis.

Note: We do not ship grape vines to BC due to regulatory restrictions from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

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