The name, Chiggery Grapes, is just too itchy for us to use. So, we have renamed it Florida Gooseberry, Tournefortia hirsutissima . This is a fast growing vine with four to six inch hairy oval leaves that occurs in the Everglades region. I have found it in the Fakahatchee Strand growing high into the hammock trees.
When in flower, this borage relative attracts many kinds of butterflies, bees and other pollinators. These are followed by white fruit that many birds and squirrels feast on. Like most borage relatives, the fruit, dead leaves and flowers exude chemicals that male butterflies lap up and then use as perfume to attract their mates. The rotting fruit on Pineland Strongbark and the dead leaves on Sea Lavender are other examples.
If you have a tall tree, try planting this vine at the base and stand back. It will grow to the top in a couple of years and put on a magnificent crop of flowers and fruit each spring. Add some corky and multiflora passion vine and the butterflies will multiply there by the dozens.
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