Scuppernong

(Rotundifolia)

American Muscadine, Bull, Bullace, Bullet, Fox Grape, Green
Scuppernong, Green Muscadine, Hickman, Muscadine, Roanoke

Scuppernong is preeminently the grape of the South, the chief
representative of the great species, V. rotundifolia, which runs
riot in natural luxuriance from Delaware and Maryland to the Gulf and
westward from the Atlantic to Arkansas and Texas. Scuppernong vines
are found on arbors, in gardens, or half wild, on trees and fences on
nearly every farm in the South Atlantic states. As a rule, these vines
receive little cultivation, are unpruned and are given no care of any
kind; but even under neglect they produce large crops. The vines are
almost immune to mildew, rot, phylloxera, or other fungal or insect
pests; they give not only an abundance of fruit but on arbors and
trellises are much prized for their shade and beauty. The fruit, to a
palate accustomed to other grapes, is not very acceptable, having a
musky flavor and a somewhat repugnant odor, which, however, with
familiarity becomes quite agreeable. The pulp is sweet and juicy but
is lacking in sprightliness. The grapes are not suitable for the
market since the berries drop from the bunch in ripening and become
more or less smeared with juice so that their appearance is not
appetizing.

Vine vigorous, not hardy in the North, very productive. Canes
long, numerous, slender, ash-gray to grayish-brown; surface
smooth, thickly covered with small, light brown dots; tendrils
intermittent, simple. Leaves small, thin; upper surface light
green, smooth; lower surface very pale green, pubescent along the
ribs; veins inconspicuous. Flowers very late; stamens reflexed.

Fruit late, ripens unevenly, berries drop as they mature. Clusters
small, round, unshouldered, loose. Berries few in a cluster,
large, round, dull green, often with brown tinge, firm; skin
thick, tough with many small russet dots; flesh pale green, juicy,
tender, soft, fine-grained, foxy, sweet to agreeably tart; fair to
good. Seeds adherent, large, short, broad, unnotched, blunt,
plump, surface smooth, brown.

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