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 vi
es

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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