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Vitus rotundifolia, the muscadine
grape, is native to the southeastern United States from Texas to Delaware, and
along the Mississippi River to Missouri. Unlike most other grape species,
it is adapted to warm, humid conditions and does especially well in Florida. The
muscadine grape was the first native grape species to be cultivated in North
America. It has been used for commercial wine making since the 16th century
in Florida, traditionally for fine wines, port, and dessert wines. The
fruit is also used for jelly, preserves, syrup, juices, sauces and eaten fresh.
There are hundreds of different cultivars. The first named variety,
the Scuppernong, came from North Carolina, described in 1810 by Dr. Calvin Jones.
The wild muscadine vine, ancestor to
cultivated varieties, grows abundantly in swamps, sandy ridges, open or
forested areas. It likes sandy, well-drained, fertile soil. Twining
itself along other plants or sprawling along the ground, it can grow up to 100
feet. In the winter it loses its leaves but at other times of year the
roundness of its serrated leaves is a good way to distinguish it from other
grape species. While other grape species climb using forked tendrils, the
muscadine grape has simple, unforked tendrils.
The muscadine grape is a dioecious
species, meaning that individual plants have either female or male flowers, not
both. Insects and wind carry pollen from male flowers to pollinate female
flowers. The small, greenish flowers occur in a dense, branching cluster
(a panicle). The flowers produce sweet, thick-skinned fruit, in bunches
of 3-40. The fruit have a long growing season, taking about 100 days from
fertilization to mature fruit. They turn a dark purple color and reach about
0.5-1 inch (1-2.5 cm) in diameter when they ripen in late summer. Each
contains up to five seeds. Cultivated varieties have fruits of diverse
sugar content and colorations from bronze, pink, greenish, yellow, white, to
almost black. The thick pigmented skins and the seeds of muscadine grapes
produce many phytochemicals (including antioxidant polyphenols) thought to have
considerable potential health benefits. Muscadine vines have fewer pests than
many other grape species. This grapevine is also fairly disease
resistant. The fruit is eaten by many birds and mammals, and the plant is
host to several butterfly and moth species.
Ryder (verified owner) –
Very healthy seeds! Well worth it.
Avery (verified owner) –
So far so good!
David (verified owner) –
The product is firmly packed.
Max (verified owner) –
Very well worth the money.
Dylan (verified owner) –
Very fast delivery.