Water From The Wild Grape Vine

The wild grape vine makes a great and easy source for obtaining fresh drinking water. The water is already purified by the plant itself. Spring is the best time to get the most fluid from the vine. Many vines can be set up at one time to harvest the water from them.

Not only does the vine provide water, the rest of the plant provides food and medicine. The fruit, when ripe are edible. The younger leaves can be blanched in hot water until soft and eaten in a salad, or you can use them to wrap other food sources like spring rolls.

Various parts of the plant can also be used for medicinal uses as listed below.

The vine and its parts contain:

Minerals: barlum, sulfur, cadmium, copper, iron, magnesium, mercury, nickel, sodium, zinc, aluminum
Acids: ascorbic acid (leaves, stems, fruits), aspartic, salicylic, fumaric, citric, succinic, and many more.
Tanins- seeds
Resveratrol- leaves
Coumarins- leaves
Amino Acids: alaninen, cycstine, gaba, valine, proline, lysine
Carbohydrates: glucose, sucrose, stachyose
Vitamins: niacin, thiamine, vitamin C, pantothenic acid
Flavanoids: quercetin, epicatechin, anthocyanins, epicatechin
Soluble fiber: petcin

Medicinal Value:

The grapevine leaves are useful in the circulation of blood in the Circulatory system. The leaves posses hemostatic venotonic and antiplatelet properties which helps prevent thrombi formation. Thrombi is associated with strokes. The properties within the leaves also aid in treating Varicose veins, Hemorrhoids and Vaginal bleeding, Endometriosis, poor circulation on the feet and legs, poor cerebral circulation, eye diseases, ocular degeneration, digestive system, intestinal bleeding.
This plant helps eliminate fluids and helps purify the blood.

External uses:

Help stop nose bleeds: crush dried leaves into a powder and sniff a small amount like snuff.
In March, just before the leaves grow, the water in the vine can be used as an eye drop solution.

Here is a Southwestern Desert version of the Wild Grape from Wikipedia.com:

Vitis girdiana

Vitis girdiana is as species of wild grape known as the desert wild grape and valley grape. It is native to the southwestern United States and Baja California in Mexico.
This species is a woody vine with a coating of woolly hairs, especially on new growth. The woolly leaves are heart-shaped to kidney-shaped with serrated edges and sometimes shallowly lobed. The inflorescence is a panicle of unisexual flowers. The fruit is a spherical black grape usually not more than 8 millimeters wide.
It grows in canyon and streambank habitat.
Native American groups such as the Kumeyaay and Luiseño used the fruit for food. The Cahuilla used it fresh, cooked, or dried into raisins, and made it into wine. [source: wikipedia.com]

As you can see, the grapevine has many uses. Do not overlook its use when it is available to you in a survival scenario. Its part of natures medicine chest.

Stay Prepared! Stay Alive!

Charlie