Uva cimarrona
Vitis tiliifolia

Family: Vitaceae

What it is like

A vine. It climbs by mean of tendrils and can be 10-35 m long. The young vine has a dense covering. The stems can be 8 cm across. The leaves are simple and opposite. The leaf blades are 7-16 cm long by 7-13 cm wide. They are oval and have 3 lobes. The base is heart shaped. The flowers are in groups 6-12 cm long in the axils of leaves. The flowers are green. The fruit are 5-6 mm across.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. In Central America it grows between 100-1,300 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andes, Belize, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic (country/location of origin), Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guiana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Puerto Rico, South America (country/location of origin), Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. They are also used to make vinegar.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Agra, Bejuco de agua, Miona negra, Parra broncadora, Tsurure, Uva cimarrona, Uva silvestre, Water tietie

Synonyms

Vitis acuminata Oerst.; Vitis arachnoidea Oerst.; Vitis caribaea DC.; Vitis vinifera L. var. tiliitolia (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Roem. & Schult.) Kuntze f. caribaea; and others