Riverbank Grape vs Cloudberry - TreeTime.ca

Riverbank Grape vs Cloudberry

Vitis riparia

Rubus chamaemorus

ONLY AVAILABLE BY CONTRACT GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Riverbank Grape
Cloudberry

The Riverbank Grape, also known as the Frost Grape, or Wild Grape, is a cold-hardy variety that produces fragrant white flowers in the spring and then tart, purple grapes late in the summer.

The Riverbank Grape is a vigorous grower that attracts lots of wildlife, who enjoy the fruit and flowers. This plant is native to North America, and is also highly resistant to fungal diseases, making this a great addition to your city gardens. 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.

Cloudberry produces berries which taste tart and tangy with a sweet, floral hint. The berries have a creamy texture when overripe. They are often used to make jams, juices, and liquors. The berries are a pale red colour and when ripe turn more orange/amber. They do not grow very tall, generally reaching only 10-25 cm.

Cloudberry has distinct male and female plants. In order to produce berries, both must be present and pollinate with each other. Berries are produced at maturity, typically 5-7 years, and produce 1 berry per stem. The plant spreads naturally as they grow using modified underground stems (rhizomes), forming more plants over time in the same area.

This plant can be found wild in Canada’s boreal forest. In Newfoundland and Labrador, this plant is known as the Bakeapple and is a significant regional food. Similarly the Côte-Nord region of Quebec also has a long history of using this berry.

Note: Cloudberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 3.5 and 5.0. Also sensitive to salt and dry conditions.

Note: Our seedlings are grown from seed and are too young to identify their sex.

Riverbank Grape Quick Facts

Cloudberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: orange, yellow
Berries: purple
Berries: irregular, yellow to orange
Firmness: firm
Flavor: tart
Harvest: late summer
Harvest: September to October.
Flowers: fragrant white
Flowers: white
Bark: yellow-red to brown
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: none




Other Names: frost grape, wild grape
Other Names: baked apple berry, cloud berry