Walton's Plant Library

* This is a "special order" plant - contact store for details

Other Names:  Southern Fox Grape

Description:

This native variety is well suited for warm, humid climates and has excellent disease resistance; greenish-bronze berries are larger for the species; use as a screen for arbors or winding along fences, requires regular pruning and full sun

Edible Qualities

Scuppernong Muscadine Grape is a woody vine that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces large clusters of green round fruit which are usually ready for picking from late summer to early fall. The fruits have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.

The fruit are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Preserves
• Juice-Making
• Wine-Making

Features & Attributes

Scuppernong Muscadine Grape has rich green deciduous foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring on a plant with a spreading habit of growth. The serrated heart-shaped leaves turn yellow in fall. It produces abundant clusters of green grapes in late summer.

This is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous woody vine with a spreading, ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage. This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and requires a special pruning regimen to reliably produce fruit; consult a specific reference guide or contact the store for proper pruning techniques. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spreading

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Scuppernong Muscadine Grape is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Scuppernong Muscadine Grape will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. As a climbing vine, it should be planted next to a fence, trellis or other rigid structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit.

This woody vine is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have sandy, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.

 

* This is a "special order" plant - contact store for details