Multi-purpose
Concord Grape is an American heirloom vine that has been feeding families since 1848, when Ephraim Wales Bull introduced this deep blue-black beauty to the world. This vigorous cultivar thrives in hardiness zones 5, 9 and produces medium-sized, slip-skin grapes with a distinctive sweet-tart flavor that tastes like nostalgia itself. Hardy and reliable, Concord reaches 8, 10 feet tall and spreads 10, 12 feet wide, requiring 2, 4 years before bearing its first substantial harvest. It's the grape that built America's juice and jelly traditions, and it still does today.
Full Sun
Moderate
5-9
120in H x 144in W
Perennial
High
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What makes Concord unforgettable is its legendary flavor and slip-skin character, the fruit practically releases itself when you bite down, a texture that makes fresh eating, juice-making, and jam-setting almost effortless. This heirloom variety brings genuine hardiness and vigor to colder zones where many wine grapes fail, and it possesses the disease resistance that has kept it America's most popular juice grape for over 170 years. Whether you're drawn to classic grape juice, homespun wine, or the satisfaction of growing the same vine your grandparents might have planted, Concord delivers both performance and profound flavor.
Concord Grape shines in applications where its slip-skin character and distinctive flavor create magic. The fruit is unmatched for fresh juice, both the commercial kind and the homemade varieties that taste infinitely better, and it's the traditional choice for grape jelly and jam. Home winemakers prize it for creating approachable, flavorful wines with character. Fresh eating is absolutely viable too; the grapes come off the vine ready for the bowl. The slip-skin nature means less wrestling with stubborn skins, making Concord uniquely user-friendly for all these uses compared to vinifera varieties.
Plant bare-root grapevines in early spring, as soon as soil can be worked and while the vine is still dormant. If planting in fall, wait until after the vine has gone completely dormant. Space vines 12 feet apart in full sun. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root system without cramping, and backfill with native soil amended with compost if your soil is very poor. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots.
Concord Grapes are ready to pick in October when the fruit has developed its deep blue-black color and when the berries are fully ripe to the touch, they should give slightly to gentle pressure without being soft. The flavor will be at its peak sweet-tart balance once the grapes have fully colored and have been on the vine for several days after color change. Harvest by cutting the entire cluster with pruning shears rather than pulling individual berries. The grapes will continue to ripen slightly after harvest, so pick them when they're fully colored but still have good firmness.
Grapevines benefit from consistent pruning to manage their vigorous growth and concentrate fruit production. In the first two to three years, focus on building a strong framework by training the vine onto a trellis or support system. Once established, prune in late winter while the vine is dormant, removing tangled, diseased, or crossing canes and maintaining open canopy structure to allow air circulation and light penetration. Concord's vigor means it will grow enthusiastically; don't be timid with the pruning shears, these vines respond well to firm pruning and will repay you with organized growth and better fruit quality.
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“Concord Grape was introduced in 1848 by Ephraim Wales Bull, a Massachusetts horticulturist who developed this cultivar from Vitis labrusca parentage in the town of Concord. Bull's creation didn't just become a backyard favorite, it became foundational to American agriculture, fueling the commercial juice and jelly industry that made grape products accessible to everyday families. The variety's hardiness, vigor, and reliable fruiting quickly established it as the standard for home gardeners and commercial growers alike across the eastern United States, where it remains the most widely planted American grape cultivar more than 170 years later.”