This series is dedicated to educating our geofriends about some of the interesting trees and vines that can be seen along this newest section of the Spring Creek Greenway (SCG) trail. When complete, the Spring Creek Greenway will encompass 12,000 acres and almost 40 linear miles, from Highway 59 at the San Jacinto River to Spring Creek Park west of Tomball. This Phase III-B section of the trail is officially open, and Phase III-C (which will go all the way to Interstate 45!) will be complete by January 2018. It’s time to get these posted! The entire Spring Creek Greenway trail begins at Highway 59/Interstate 69 and extends over 14.5 miles to the end of this new section. Please note that SCG trail hours are dawn to dusk, and replace all containers as you found them.
There are five species of Wild Grape (Vitis sp.) that can be found in our area, including Muscadine Grape, Mustang Grape, River Grape and Fox Grape. River Grape and Muscadine Grape seem to be the most locally abundant species inthis immediate area. Native grape vines can be over six inches in diameter (that's right!), and extend 50 or more feet into the canopy of a suitable tree or other tall structure. They produce dark red fruits that resemble red/black table grapes that you can buy in the store. However, the skin is very tart and leathery, and the pulp is more dense and chewy than store-bought varieties as well. Couple this with the fact that they have an abundance of seeds and it's easy to understand that eating a bunch of these is much more difficult than buying them at the store! Historically, though, they were relished by Native Americans and early settlers, and are still used to this day to make grape jams and jellies, and even Muscadine Wine!
Of course, the fruits are relished by all sorts of wildlife, including raccoons and other mammals, and many species of resident and migratory birds.