Prairie Star Grape (Bundle of 2)

Prairie Star grape clusters ripening on the vine

Prairie Star Grape (Bundle of 2) | Spring 2027

$59.99

Reliable shipping

Flexible returns

Pollination Self-fertile

Bloom group 4 of 7 (Mid)

Grape Pollination Chart

Ripening

Will it finish before your first hard freeze?

Check it on the Ripening Map (opens in a new tab)

Disease resistanceNo strong resistance

Anthracnose : Susceptible, 2 of 5
Black rot : Susceptible, 2 of 5
Botrytis bunch rot : Susceptible, 2 of 5
Crown gall : Susceptible, 2 of 5
Downy mildew : Moderate, 3 of 5
Phomopsis cane spot : Unknown, no published data yet
Powdery mildew : Moderate, 3 of 5

Scored 1 to 5. Higher resists better, and ? means no published data yet.

See it on our grape and kiwi disease chart (opens in a new tab)

At a glance: Prairie Star Grape is a grape vine rated hardy to zone 3 in our ratings (winters to -40°F), and self-fertile, so one plant can crop.

Hardy to	Zone 3 to 7. A bare number means the whole of zone 3, colder half included (winters to -40°F). Our notes have it taking -36°F. Find your zone with our cold hardiness calculator.
Chill hours	About 500 hours (350 to 750). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. Check your chill hours or see our sources.
Pollination	Self-Fertile. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring to early summer here. Prairie Star has perfect flowers and sets fruit on its own, so one variety is enough. Grapes bloom in June, well after tree fruit. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. Grape Pollination Chart.
Good for	Fresh eating (6/10), wine (6/10). Scores are our own 1 to 10 ratings; 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.
Deer	A deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.
What you get	Bare root. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.

Overview

Prairie Star is a complex interspecific cross between Alpenglow and Elmer Swenson, bred to withstand temperatures down to -36°F or lower. Developed by legendary breeder Elmer Swenson in Wisconsin during the 1980s, the variety is named after Star Prairie, a town near where Swenson lived. It entered the commercial market in 2000.

Wine & Table Use

Prairie Star is often used as a blending grape to help lower the acidity of the final wine. As a varietal wine, it has more neutral characteristics, and is frequently barrel fermented to add complexity. It’s also grown as a table grape thanks to its balanced flavor and adaptability.

Cold Climate Ready

Hardy to Zone 3, Prairie Star is a great choice for colder regions that need resilient vines without compromising on quality.

Plant Size

These are vines going on their second year with an established root system.

Questions we get about Prairie Star Grape

Does Prairie Star Grape need a pollenizer?

No. Prairie Star Grape is self-fertile, so a single tree can set fruit. Prairie Star has perfect flowers and sets fruit on its own, so one variety is enough. Grapes bloom in June, well after tree fruit.

How cold hardy is Prairie Star Grape?

We rate Prairie Star Grape hardy to zone 3, which means winters down to about -40°F. Our notes have it taking -36°F. Our ratings come from real winters at our two Montana sites and from trusted growers across the North, not from a catalog average.

How many chill hours does Prairie Star Grape need?

About 500 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 350 and 750. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our chill hours guide has a calculator for your winters, and our research page lists the sources.

What is Prairie Star Grape good for?

Our top use scores for Prairie Star Grape are fresh eating (6/10), wine (6/10).

Is Prairie Star Grape disease resistant?

Not really. It holds up moderately well against downy mildew and powdery mildew. It's prone to anthracnose, black rot, botrytis bunch rot and crown gall. Nobody has published solid data on it for Phomopsis cane spot yet, so we list that as unknown. Our grape and kiwi disease resistance chart has every rating, the notes and the sources.

Will deer eat Prairie Star Grape?

Yes, deer love it. Protect Prairie Star Grape with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.

What arrives, and when does Prairie Star Grape ship?

A dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.