Grapeshot

Grapeshot is a premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2. It was featured in the Jurassic Marsh Part 1 teaser Piñata Parties from November 10 to November 16 of 2015, and for a limited time was available for purchase at $4.99 because of a sale. Its normal price currently is $4.99.

Similarly to Cherry Bomb, Grapeshot explodes in a 3x3 area, dealing 90 normal damage shots worth of damage to all enemies caught in the blast. However, eight grapes will also be released after the initial explosion in the cardinal and ordinal directions. The grapes can ricochet up to five times in a manner similar to Bowling Bulb's projectile, doing 10 normal damage shots for each zombie they hit. In the Chinese version, its explosion can deal 180 damage to all zombies in the 3x3 area except Gargantuars or Zombots which only suffers 90 damage.

Origins
Grapeshot is based on the real life Grape, a term referring to fruiting berry of vines belonging to the genus Vitis. Its explosive ability is based on grapeshots, a type of artillery shell composed of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag, akin to a modern shotgun shell.

Costumed
After exploding, Grapeshot may leave a puddle which slows zombies down.

Level upgrade
Note: Grapeshot cannot be upgraded to level 5.

Strategies
Grapeshot is mostly considered a straight upgrade to Cherry Bomb - while its initial profile is almost identical to Cherry Bomb's in damage, sun cost and recharge rate, the additional grapes will allow Grapeshot to control the horde far better than Cherry Bomb, as well as destroy obstacles such as tombstones at the early stage of a level in Ancient Egypt and Dark Ages and frozen blocks in Frostbite Caves. Notably, a Grapeshot under the right circumstance can instantly vanquish a full health Gargantuar (besides a Jurassic Gargantuar), a feat that can otherwise only be achieved by Electric Blueberry, Caulipower, Witch Hazel, and Citron's Plant Food effect.

The grapes are somewhat of a hazard to the player in the Dark Ages however, as Jester Zombies can reflect them and deal massive damage to the player's defense. However, note that it cannot deflect grapes that hit it from above or below. Imp Dragon Zombies are immune to the initial explosion, but not to the ricocheting grapes, so Grapeshot should have little trouble combating them unless the grapes are used too easily. They can also be a problem if a grape bounces and kills a dangerous zombie that releases more dangerous zombies early in the level, like Chicken Wrangler Zombies or Weasel Hoarders, as they can release their Zombie Chickens or Ice Weasels and overwhelm most plants if the defense is not ready, especially in Big Bad Butte or Icebound Battleground.

Ultimately, due to the lack of actual difference in usage, Grapeshot should be used in a way similar to Cherry Bomb: to quickly neutralize threats that have breached too far into the player's defense, or to nuke high-health targets. Imitater can also be used to remedy Grapeshot's recharge issue. Using it alongside Cherry Bomb and Bombegranate can allow you to blow up the zombies far more often, assuming you have a good sun production.

Trivia

 * It is the first (if not counting Sunflower Singer from the Chinese version) plant that is a direct upgrade of an existing plant, Cherry Bomb, regarding factors like sun cost, recharge, and effect. Cold Snapdragon is the second direct upgrade, and Wasabi Whip is the third.
 * All three of them are premium plants and cost 150 sun.
 * It is the first plant to be an upgrade of Cherry Bomb, with the second being Bombegranate.
 * It has the most heads out of any plant in the entire franchise, with eight heads total. One of the heads can only be seen after the explosion.
 * It is the only instant-use plant to have two different attacks: the explosion and the release of ricocheting grapes.
 * It reuses sounds from Cherry Bomb, Citron, Bowling Bulb, Banana Launcher, and Strawburst.
 * Its charging and exploding sounds are reused from Cherry Bomb's. Sounds from Bowling Bulb, Banana Launcher, and Strawburst are heard when its heads are ricocheting, and Citron's noises are used when a head bursts.
 * The advertisement for it reads, "Unleash the grapes of wrath!" This is a reference to a book written by John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath.
 * There is also a plant in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes named Grapes of Wrath.
 * Additionally, it is one of the three plants based on grapes, the other two being the latter and Sour Grapes.
 * In the Jurassic Marsh Part 1 trailer, Grapeshot is missing its leaf.
 * It can be planted during Last Stand setup.
 * After the player plants it and it explodes in Last Stand setup, it will leave behind a shadow that cannot be planted on and will never go away until the player presses "Let's Rock!"
 * It is the only premium explosive plant that can be spawned by the Escape Root.