Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Scuppernong

The Scuppernong is a bronze-colored cultivar of the muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia), characterized by large, thick-skinned, greenish-bronze or golden fruit with a sweet, musky flavor and large seeds, native to the southeastern United States.^[1]^[2] This variety, which requires cross-pollination for fruit production, thrives in hot, humid climates and is the official state fruit of North Carolina, designated as such in 2001.^[1]^[3] Named after the Scuppernong River in northeastern North Carolina, the cultivar traces its origins to the "Mother Vine" on Roanoke Island, a historic grapevine estimated to be over 400 years old and considered the oldest continuously cultivated grapevine in the United States, possibly planted by Native American Croatoan people or early English colonists in the late 1500s.^[3]^[4]^[5] The Scuppernong gained prominence as the first grape variety actively cultivated in the U.S., with records of its use dating to the early 19th century, including a 1823 order for 30 gallons of its juice by Thomas Jefferson.^[5]^[3] By the 1840s, it fueled North Carolina's burgeoning wine industry, exemplified by Paul Garrett's "Virginia Dare" scuppernong wine, which became one of America's most popular domestic wines and won international awards, such as a gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.^[5]^[3] Cultivated primarily in the southeastern states from Florida to Texas, Scuppernong vines prefer full sun (at least six hours daily), well-drained acidic to neutral soils (pH 6.0-8.0), and USDA hardiness zones 5b-9b, often trained on trellises for support as vigorous, deciduous climbers reaching 20-60 feet.^[1]^[2] The fruit ripens in late summer to early fall (August-October), attracting pollinators like bees and wildlife such as birds and small mammals.^[1] Beyond its agricultural role, the Scuppernong holds deep cultural significance in the American South, inspiring the North Carolina state toast adopted in 1957 and appearing in literature like Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, while supporting a modern wine industry valued at over $800 million annually in the state as of the early 2000s and exceeding $6 billion in economic impact as of 2022.^[2]^[5]^[6] It is widely used fresh, in jellies, jams, and preserves due to its high pectin content, and especially for sweet white wines with a distinctive wild, fruity profile, as produced by wineries like Duplin Winery since the mid-19th century.^[2]^[5]

Description and Taxonomy

Botanical Characteristics

The Scuppernong is classified as Vitis rotundifolia 'Scuppernong', a bronze-fruited cultivar of the muscadine grape species (V. rotundifolia), which is native to the southeastern United States.^[7]^[8] This species belongs to the Vitaceae family and is distinguished from other grapevines by its simple tendrils and overall robust morphology adapted to warm, humid environments.^[1] The berries of the Scuppernong are large and round, typically measuring 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) in diameter, with a thick, tough skin that ranges from greenish-bronze to golden in color.^[9]^[10] The pulp is juicy and sweet-tart, often containing 3 to 5 large, hard seeds, and the fruit exhibits a characteristic musky flavor profile attributed to its high content of resveratrol and other antioxidants.^[10]^[11] Scuppernong vines are vigorous, deciduous climbers that can reach lengths of 20 to 60 feet when supported, featuring broad, rounded leaves that are alternate, simple, and coarsely toothed, often exceeding 6 inches in length and width.^[1]^[9] The species is dioecious, with separate male and female vines in the wild, though the 'Scuppernong' cultivar typically bears female flowers and requires a pollinator for fruit set, while some modern selections are self-fertile.^[7]^[1] Notable adaptations include a high resistance to diseases such as Pierce's disease (Xylella fastidiosa) and various fungal pathogens prevalent in humid southeastern climates, enabling reliable growth without extensive chemical intervention.^[12]^[7] Additionally, the berries possess a slip-skin trait, where the pulp readily separates from the skin upon ripening, a feature shared with other muscadine types that facilitates consumption and processing.^[13] Nutritionally, Scuppernong grapes are rich in polyphenols, including ellagic acid and resveratrol, as well as vitamin C, contributing to their potent antioxidant properties that support cellular health and disease prevention.^[11]^[14] These compounds are particularly concentrated in the thick skins and seeds, setting muscadines apart from other grape varieties in terms of bioactive potential.^[15] The Scuppernong is recognized as the first named cultivar of the muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia), specifically the bronze-fruited variety 'Scuppernong', selected from wild populations along the Scuppernong River in North Carolina in the early 19th century. Although the term "Scuppernong" is often used generically to refer to bronze or light-colored muscadine grapes, it technically denotes this single pistillate (female-flowered) cultivar, which requires pollination from male or hermaphroditic vines for fruit production.^[8]^[1]^[16] Within the muscadine family, related cultivars include black-fruited varieties such as 'Noble', a self-fertile red type widely used for its vigorous growth, high productivity, and suitability for juice and wine due to stable pigments. Bronze or white-fruited examples encompass 'Carlos', another self-fertile cultivar prized for neutral flavor and high yields in white wine production. Modern hybrids like 'Triumph', a self-fertile bronze variety with large berries, high sugar content (around 18%), and good fresh-market qualities, and 'Paulk', a 2017 release featuring purple fruit of comparable size to 'Supreme' with enhanced storage ability, and 'Razzmatazz', a 2023 release from Auburn University featuring pink fruit, self-fertility, and improved yields for fresh market and wine, represent advancements in breeding for improved flavor, yield, and disease resistance.^[17]^[18]^[19]^[20] Muscadine breeding efforts, spanning over a century at institutions like the University of Georgia and North Carolina State University, have focused on transitioning from traditional dioecious (separate male and female) plants—such as the original 'Scuppernong'—to self-fertile (perfect-flowered) varieties to simplify cultivation and boost commercial viability. Early selections were primarily from wild stands, but systematic programs since the mid-20th century introduced self-fertile lines like 'Noble' and 'Triumph' by crossing female and male vines, while also selecting for resistance to diseases like Pierce's disease, which affects other grape species more severely. These developments have enabled standalone plantings without pollinator rows, increasing efficiency in southeastern U.S. production.^[21]^[22] Genetically, muscadines like the Scuppernong have a chromosome number of 2n=40, compared to 2n=38 in European Vitis vinifera grapes. This additional chromosomal material contributes to their characteristic larger fruit size, thicker skins, and overall vigor. Breeding programs have created polyploid variants (e.g., tetraploids with 2n=80) for enhanced traits, though most commercial cultivars remain at the diploid level.^[23]^[24]

History

Origins and Early Cultivation

The Scuppernong grape, a bronze cultivar of the native muscadine species Vitis rotundifolia, originated in the wild landscapes of the southeastern United States, thriving along riverbanks and wetlands such as those of the Scuppernong River in North Carolina. Indigenous peoples of the region, including Algonquian-speaking tribes like the Roanoke, utilized these grapes extensively for sustenance, medicinal remedies, and natural dyes. They consumed the thick-skinned fruit fresh or dried into raisins for preservation, applied leaf poultices to wounds, and incorporated the vines into ceremonial practices, recognizing the plant's nutritional and healing properties long before European arrival.^[1]^[4]^[25] European contact with the Scuppernong began during Sir Walter Raleigh's 1584 expedition to the Roanoke colony, where explorers Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe documented the profusion of wild vines "on the sand and on the green soil, on the hills as on the plains." English settlers in the late 16th and 17th centuries initiated cultivation in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, marking the Scuppernong as the first grape variety domesticated in the Americas and predating the introduction of European Vitis vinifera species. By the mid-18th century, local planter Isaac Alexander propagated a particularly vigorous wild vine he discovered along the Scuppernong River, which became the basis for the cultivated Scuppernong variety.^[26]^[27] The grape received its formal name in 1811, derived from the Algonquian term for the nearby Scuppernong River, Lake Phelps (formerly Scuppernong Lake), and surrounding settlement, as noted in early 19th-century agricultural publications. This documentation spurred a surge in commercial plantings after 1800, transforming the Scuppernong into a cornerstone of Southern agriculture, especially in North Carolina, where it supported wine, juice, and fresh fruit production across expanding vineyards. Breeding efforts in the latter half of the century further enhanced its yield and disease resistance, cementing its economic importance in the region's viticulture.^[3]^[28]

The Mother Vine

The Mother Vine is a renowned scuppernong grapevine located on the northeastern outskirts of Manteo, on Roanoke Island in Dare County, North Carolina, along Mother Vineyard Road.^[29] Estimated to be over 400 years old, it is believed to have been planted in the late 16th or early 17th century, possibly by Croatan Native Americans or early English colonists associated with the Roanoke expeditions, making it the oldest known cultivated grapevine in North America.^[30]^[31] At its peak, the vine covered more than half an acre, though its current span is smaller due to past damages.^[32] This vine holds profound historical significance as a living link to early American viticulture, potentially observed by English explorers Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe in 1584 and providing sustenance for the Lost Colony settlers.^[31] It has endured numerous threats, including hurricanes, neglect, a 1957 bulldozer incident that uprooted half of it, and a 2010 herbicide poisoning from which it was revived with expert intervention from North Carolina State University and the University of Virginia.^[33] Believed to have been propagated from wild muscadine vines by early inhabitants, it survived broader challenges like colonial conflicts and environmental stresses, symbolizing resilience in North Carolina's agricultural heritage.^[4] Cuttings from the Mother Vine have served as source material for propagating many modern scuppernong vines across the southeastern United States, influencing the development and spread of the cultivar, including its role in the University of Georgia's release of Scuppernong selections.^[4]^[30] Its grapes have historically been used by local wineries, such as those in Manteo and Greensboro, contributing to regional wine production.^[31] Currently, the Mother Vine remains productive, yielding bronze scuppernong grapes annually, though output has declined due to age and prior injuries. As of 2025, the property is protected and managed by the Outer Banks Conservationists, a nonprofit founded by the Wilson family, through pruning, arbor support, and ongoing care to protect against pests, diseases, and climate-related threats like rising sea levels.^[29] The organization plans to ensure public access while preserving the site, including the adjacent Wilson family residence for stewardship. As of 2025, the Mother Vine continues to produce grapes that support regional winemaking, offering lessons in resilience for contemporary grape cultivation amid climate challenges.^[34]

Cultivation

Growing Regions and Conditions

The Scuppernong grape, a cultivar of the native muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia), is primarily cultivated in the southeastern United States, with North Carolina serving as the leading producer and designating it the official state fruit in 2001.^[35] Other key growing regions include Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, where the vine thrives in the warm, humid conditions of the Coastal Plain and Piedmont areas.^[36] These grapes are well-suited to USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9, encompassing much of this subtropical region.^[1] Scuppernong vines require a warm, humid subtropical climate with temperatures below 10°F causing injury to buds and canes, and drops to 0°F potentially leading to vine death.^[21]^[9] They tolerate high summer heat up to 100°F and flourish in humid environments but are sensitive to prolonged cold. Fruit maturation typically spans 100 to 120 days from bloom to harvest.^[7] Optimal soil conditions for Scuppernong include well-drained sandy loam with a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5, though the vines demonstrate good tolerance for poor, acidic soils common in the Southeast.^[16] They demand full sun exposure of 6 to 8 hours daily to maximize fruit set and yield, as shaded conditions reduce berry size and production.^[9] Water needs are moderate, typically 1 to 2 inches per week, aided by high ambient humidity that minimizes evaporation and stress during dry periods.^[37] Cultivation challenges include high susceptibility to damage from birds and deer, which often consume ripening fruit, necessitating protective netting or fencing in many plantings.^[1] While the vines' native adaptation provides some resilience to regional pests and diseases, site selection on elevated, well-drained locations helps mitigate risks from late frosts and excess moisture.^[16]

Propagation and Management

Scuppernong vines, a cultivar of the muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia), are primarily propagated asexually to maintain desirable traits, with cuttings being the most common method for commercial and home growers. Softwood cuttings taken from mature vines in late May to early June, when growth is active, root readily when treated with rooting hormone and placed in a moist, well-drained medium under high humidity conditions. Hardwood cuttings collected during winter dormancy can also be used, though they have lower success rates compared to softwood; these are typically 12-18 inches long with 3-4 buds and planted directly in the ground or pots after callusing. Grafting onto disease-resistant rootstocks, such as those tolerant to nematodes, is recommended for sites with challenging soils, using techniques like whip-and-tongue grafting performed in late winter to combine the scion's fruit quality with the rootstock's vigor. Layering offers a simple option for home gardeners, involving bending a low vine shoot to the ground in spring, covering a node with soil to encourage rooting while still attached to the parent plant, which can then be severed once roots form. Planting scuppernong vines requires spacing of 15-20 feet apart to allow for vigorous growth and air circulation, with rows ideally 10-12 feet wide for access. Vines are established on sturdy trellises, such as the Geneva double curtain system, which features two parallel wires 4-5 feet above ground and 3-4 feet apart, supporting up to 40 feet of fruiting arms per vine for higher yields. Initial training involves selecting 2-4 strong shoots post-planting to form the permanent cordon, pruning back lateral growth to 4-6 buds in the first year to build a balanced framework; this structure is maintained by tying canes to the wires as they grow. Ongoing management focuses on annual pruning during the dormant season from mid-January to mid-March to remove old wood and encourage fruiting spurs on 1-year-old canes, typically retaining 40-60 buds per vine for optimal production. Fertilization with a balanced 10-10-10 NPK product at 1-2 pounds per vine in spring, split into March and May applications, supports growth without excess vigor; soil tests guide adjustments, though scuppernong thrives in well-drained, sandy loam soils with pH 5.5-6.5. Pest management targets Japanese beetles, which defoliate vines in summer and can be controlled with hand-picking, neem oil sprays, or targeted insecticides during adult emergence in June-July; while scuppernong exhibits strong resistance to phylloxera, monitoring for root damage in non-native soils remains advisable. Harvesting occurs from August to October when berries naturally loosen from the pedicel upon gentle shaking, indicating full ripeness and peak sugar content. Mature vines typically yield 20-40 pounds of fruit per plant, with clusters picked individually by hand to avoid damage, extending over 4-6 weeks due to uneven ripening.

Uses

Culinary and Food Applications

Scuppernong grapes, a bronze variety of muscadine, are commonly consumed fresh in Southern cuisine by peeling away the tough outer skin to access the juicy, tangy-sweet pulp and seeds, which are typically spat out after savoring the flavor.^[38]^[39] This method highlights their suitability as a snack, with the fruit's unique sweet-tart profile distinguishing them from European grapes and making them a seasonal treat at roadside stands in the southeastern United States.^[40] In preserved products, scuppernong grapes are widely used for jellies, jams, and pies due to the high pectin content in their skins, which naturally aids gelling without added pectin in many recipes.^[41] The pulp and juice form the base for scuppernong butter, a thick spread made by cooking down the fruit with sugar and lemon juice, yielding about three 4-ounce jars from 2 pounds of grapes.^[38] Similarly, sorbet recipes incorporate pureed scuppernong with simple syrup and lemon for a refreshing frozen dessert, prepared in an ice cream maker using 1 quart of grapes.^[38] Traditional Southern dishes feature scuppernong in desserts such as cobblers and hull pies, where the tough skins are boiled and sweetened to create fillings for baked goods.^[42] Scuppernong cobbler, for instance, layers cooked grape pulp with a biscuit-like topping, emphasizing the fruit's role in regional heritage baking.^[42] Historically, Native Americans incorporated muscadine grapes, including wild varieties akin to scuppernong, into dried fruit mixtures similar to pemmican for preservation and sustenance, utilizing the entire fruit for food and medicinal purposes.^[4]^[21] Nutritionally, scuppernong grapes are promoted in health foods for their high resveratrol content in the skins and seeds, a polyphenol associated with antioxidant effects that may support heart health and reduce inflammation.^[11] This compound, along with other polyphenols like ellagic acid, positions scuppernong in smoothies or as a base for supplements, providing about 55 calories, 3.37 grams of fiber, and notable levels of flavonoids per half-cup serving.^[11]

Wine and Beverage Production

Scuppernong grapes, a variety of muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia), are primarily processed into wine through crushing the thick-skinned berries to extract juice, followed by fermentation in tanks. The grapes' natural sugar content, typically ranging from 18 to 24° Brix at harvest, supports the production of semi-sweet white wines, though chaptalization—adding sugar to reach around 22° Brix—is common to achieve desired alcohol levels of 10-12% ABV. Fermentation occurs at elevated temperatures of 81-86°F (27-30°C) for 7-14 days, often using cultured wine yeasts like Lalvin K1V-1116 for reliability, though some traditional and home methods rely on native yeasts present on the grape skins. For semi-sweet styles, fermentation is arrested by chilling to 32-38°F (0-3°C) or adding stabilizers like potassium sorbate to retain residual sweetness.^[43]^[9]^[44] Post-fermentation, Scuppernong wines are racked multiple times over 6-8 months to clarify and aged primarily in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fresh, fruity aromas of pear, apple, and citrus without imparting oak flavors. This method maintains the wine's light body and vibrant fruitiness, distinguishing it from drier or oaked varietals. Bottling follows sulfite addition for stability, resulting in wines typically served chilled.^[43]^[45] Historically, Scuppernong winemaking dates to 18th-century colonial North Carolina, where early settlers produced it in small cellars from wild vines discovered on Roanoke Island in 1584; by 1811, production reached 1,369 gallons in one county alone. During Prohibition (1920-1933), commercial operations halted, but the wine survived through legal homebrewing allowances, with families using Scuppernong for personal consumption due to its ease of growth and fermentation. Today, Duplin Winery in North Carolina stands as the largest producer of muscadine wines, including Scuppernong, outputting over 525,000 cases annually from estate vineyards.^[46]^[47] Common beverage variants include sweet white wines like Duplin's Scuppernong, a naturally sweet expression without additives, and blush styles such as Scuppernong Blush, which blend Scuppernong with late-harvest muscadine grapes for added complexity. Blends often incorporate other muscadine cultivars like Noble for red or rosé versions, while non-alcoholic options encompass pure juices and cordials made by pressing and pasteurizing the grapes without fermentation.^[45]^[48] Commercially, Scuppernong and muscadine wine production in the Southeast exceeds 1.4 million gallons annually in North Carolina alone, with total regional output reaching several million gallons across states like Georgia and Florida, driven by over 3,000 acres of commercial vineyards. Varieties like 'Carlos'—a bronze-fleshed Scuppernong-type—dominate, earning awards such as gold medals at the 2022 NC State Fair Wine Competition for its balanced sweetness and fruit-forward profile. This scale underscores Scuppernong's economic role in Southern agriculture, with wineries like Duplin and Hinnant Family Vineyards leading exports and tourism.^[49]^[18]^[50]

Cultural Significance

Role in North Carolina Heritage

The Scuppernong grape holds a prominent place among North Carolina's official symbols, having been designated the state fruit by the General Assembly in 2001 to recognize its historical and cultural importance as the first grape actively cultivated in the United States. This bronze-green variety of the native muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) symbolizes the state's agricultural heritage and viticultural legacy. It also inspired the lyrics of North Carolina's official state toast, "The Old North State," adopted in 1957, which includes a reference to the Scuppernong as a symbol of the state's bounty.^[3] Annual events further celebrate this status, such as the Scuppernong River Festival in Tyrrell County, held each October since 1991, which draws thousands to Columbia for parades, music, vendors, and activities highlighting local traditions tied to the grape and the surrounding river ecosystem. Economically, the Scuppernong underpins a vital segment of North Carolina's muscadine industry. The muscadine wine industry generates an economic impact of about $1 billion in North Carolina (as of 2021).^[51] Muscadine grapes, including Scuppernong, account for about half of the state's wine production (as of 2023).^[52] Tourism bolsters this sector, with visitors flocking to historic sites like the Mother Vine in Manteo on Roanoke Island—a 400-year-old Scuppernong vine believed to be the oldest in North America—and nearby vineyards, contributing to the broader wine industry's approximately $193 million in annual tourism expenditures statewide (as of 2025).^[53] The Scuppernong's historical legacy traces back to colonial times, when early English settlers on Roanoke Island in the late 1500s noted wild muscadine vines, leading to the first organized cultivation in the New World by the 17th century and establishing North Carolina as the nation's leading wine producer through the 19th century. These grapes provided essential sustenance through local wine and juice production for inhabitants during periods of hardship, including the agrarian challenges of the antebellum era. In modern times, North Carolina State University continues this legacy through ongoing research on Scuppernong breeding, developing cultivars with improved size, seedlessness, disease resistance, and extended shelf life, while investigating health benefits such as high levels of over 200 phenolic compounds that support antioxidant activity and potential applications in nutraceuticals and medical treatments like cancer therapies. Within North Carolina's Southern agrarian culture, the Scuppernong embodies enduring family traditions of cultivation, harvesting, and preservation, passed down through generations in rural communities like those along the Scuppernong River, where families have integrated the grape into homemade wines, jellies, and communal gatherings since the 1700s. This cultural role extends to youth education via 4-H programs, such as the Scuppernong Sprouts 4-H Club in Tyrrell County, which engages young participants in agricultural activities including grape-related projects, parades at local festivals, and hands-on learning about horticulture through the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

Representations in Arts and Literature

The Scuppernong grape, a variety of muscadine native to the southeastern United States, has appeared in Southern literature as a symbol of regional abundance, nostalgia, and cultural heritage. In William Bartram's 18th-century travelogue Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws (1791), Bartram vividly describes wild grape vines rambling over shrubs and low trees in the Cherokee regions of North Carolina, noting their fruit as producing "an excellent juice" comparable in size and color variety to European wine grapes.^[54] This portrayal romanticizes the untamed Southern landscape, positioning the vines as integral to the region's natural splendor and potential for cultivation. Similarly, in Charles W. Chesnutt's 1899 collection The Conjure Woman, the story "The Goophered Grapevine" centers on a scuppernong vineyard in North Carolina, where the "luscious scuppernong" grapes represent both economic value and folkloric enchantment, as an enslaved narrator recounts a conjure spell that curses thieves but revives the vines during the Civil War, underscoring themes of resilience amid hardship.^[55] In 20th-century fiction, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) evokes everyday Southern childhood through casual references to scuppernongs, such as children "helping ourselves to someone's scuppernongs" from backyard arbors, blending the fruit with motifs of community, innocence, and the humid Alabama setting.^[56] These depictions highlight the grape's role in grounding narratives in authentic Southern sensory experiences, from the sticky sweetness of the fruit to its ties to family and place. Scuppernong has also featured in American folk and country music, often evoking harvest rhythms and rural simplicity. Larry Jon Wilson's 1975 song "Broomstraw Philosophers and Scuppernong Wine," from his album New Beginnings, paints a lyrical portrait of Southern introspection, with the wine derived from the grapes symbolizing contemplative leisure amid broomstraw fields and philosophical musings.^[57] Folk artist Jonathan Byrd's track "Scuppernong" (2010) further integrates the fruit into Americana storytelling, celebrating its wild, native essence in songs about Southern landscapes and personal journeys.^[58] Earlier, composer John Wesley Work III included "Scuppernong" as a three-movement piano piece (published 1951), drawing on African American musical traditions to evoke the grape's rhythmic, harvest-inspired vitality.^[59] In visual arts, Scuppernong appears in depictions of iconic Southern sites, particularly the Mother Vine on Roanoke Island, North Carolina—the oldest known cultivated grapevine, estimated at over 400 years old and linked to early colonial history.^[33] Modern photographs in regional publications reinforce the vine's role in Roanoke landscapes as a living emblem of exploration and survival. While less prominent in films, Scuppernong subtly nods to Southern resilience in poetry and broader cultural works, such as post-Civil War themes where the vine's hardy growth mirrors human fortitude, as seen in eco-focused contemporary writing on native plants' adaptability to climate challenges.^[33] Representations of Scuppernong have evolved from Bartram's 18th-century naturalist romanticization of wild Southern flora to Chesnutt's 19th-century folk tales embedding it in African American oral traditions, and Lee's mid-20th-century evocation of nostalgic domesticity. In modern eco-literature, it embodies sustainability, as highlighted in studies of Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine) as a resilient native crop requiring minimal intervention, thriving in the Southeast's humid conditions and symbolizing ecological adaptation amid environmental pressures.^[60]

References

[1]
Vitis rotundifolia - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
The cultivar 'Scuppernong' was named for the Scuppernong River in northeastern North Carolina and is the official state fruit of North Carolina. NC State ...
[2]
Scuppernong Grapes Are The Stuff Of Southern Legend
### Summary of Scuppernong Grapes
[3]
Scuppernong Grape - NCpedia
In 1811 it was named after Scuppernong River, Scuppernong Lake (now Lake Phelps), and the settlement of Scuppernong, all around Washington and Tyrrell Counties.
[4]
The History and Legacy of Muscadine Grapes - Clemson HGIC
Oct 13, 2025 · Origin of the True Scuppernong It was propagated from the “mother vine” located on Roanoke Island, but was named after the Scuppernong River in ...
[5]
State Fruit: Scuppernong Grape - North Carolina History
The Scuppernong grape, named the official State Fruit in 2001, was the first actively cultivated grape in the US, named after the Scuppernong River.
[6]
The Muscadine Grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx) - University of Florida
The muscadine grape is native to the southeastern United States and was the first native grape species to be cultivated in North America.Missing: classification | Show results with:classification
[7]
Scuppernong - Choosing a Cultivar - Muscadine Grape Breeding
'Scuppernong' berries are low in sugar and have an acidic taste. A few vineyards are using 'Scuppernong' as a bronze juice cultivar, but mostly just for the ...
[8]
Establishment and Production of Muscadine Grapes
The round, 1- to 1.5-inch fruits have thick, tough skin and contain up to five hard, oblong seeds. Fruit color ranges from bronze to dark purple.<|separator|>
[9]
Scuppernong Muscadine Grapes Information and Facts
Scuppernong grapes are large in size and are oblong to round in shape, averaging 2-4 centimeters in diameter and grow in loose clusters. The thick skin ranges ...
[10]
Nutritional Benefits of Muscadines (Scuppernong)
Sep 16, 2024 · The muscadine's polyphenols include both resveratrol and ellagic acid, two anti-oxidants that are also found in red wine, pomegranate and ...Missing: profile | Show results with:profile
[11]
Louisiana home muscadine production - LSU AgCenter
Aug 24, 2022 · Additionally, wild muscadine vines are dioecious, so you would need to find both a male muscadine vine and a female muscadine vine to transplant ...Missing: length | Show results with:length
[12]
Instrumental Textural Analysis of Muscadine Grape Germplasm in
Ideal whole berry texture is firm and easily broken down during mastication, which was measured as small berry deformation at first peak and berry maximum force ...
[13]
'Grape' expectations: It's muscadine time in Louisiana - LSU AgCenter
Jul 28, 2022 · Grapes are an excellent source of vitamins C and K, dietary fiber and minerals. In addition, grapes are high in a substance called resveratrol — ...
[14]
Resveratrol, in its natural combination in whole grape, for health ...
Muscadine grapes are nearly immune to insects and diseases, and known to possess one of the highest antioxidant levels among fruits. Resveratrol is primarily ...Missing: musky flavor
[15]
Muscadine Grape - Clemson HGIC
Aug 16, 2015 · As it separates, the skin of the fruit may tear causing what is called a wet scar on the fruit, or it may separate with little or no damage to ...<|separator|>
[16]
Popular Muscadine Cultivars in North Carolina | NC State Extension
Noble is the primary red muscadine cultivar used in wine and juice production. It is a highly productive, vigorous, self fertile cultivar also bred in North ...
[17]
[PDF] Muscadine Grape Production Guide for the Southeast
The most commonly used cultivars for wine and juice production are Carlos for white juice and. Noble for red juice. Other cultivars with excellent juice ...
[18]
Take Advantage of Modern Muscadine Varieties - LSU AgCenter
Sep 27, 2023 · Muscadines are a good deal more disease resistant than bunch grapes. A bacterial disease called Pierce's disease limits our ability to grow many ...Missing: slip- | Show results with:slip-
[19]
Muscadine Grapes in the Home Garden
Muscadine grapes are well adapted to the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, where temperatures seldom fall below 10°F.Varieties · Trellising · FertilizationMissing: humid | Show results with:humid<|control11|><|separator|>
[20]
Flower Type - Choosing a Cultivar - Muscadine Grape Breeding - UGA
Before there were self-fertile flowers, vineyards were planted with the female fruiting cultivars, and male plants were interspersed to pollinate the female ...
[21]
Applications of polyploids in muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia ...
Aug 5, 2025 · Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) has a chromosome number of 2n = 40. European bunch grape (Vitis vinifera L.) has a chromosome ...
[22]
Diploid chromosome-scale assembly of the Muscadinia rotundifolia ...
Vitis has 19 chromosomes (2n = 38) (Olmo 1937), but like other genera in Vitaceae, including Ampelopsis, Parthenocissus, and Ampelocissus, Muscadinia has 20 ...
[23]
[PDF] Scuppernong Muscadine Grape
Sep 9, 2017 · INDIGENOUS PLANT. - Cultivated by Native American Indians for centuries. - Scuppernong is an Algonquian word ascopo meaning "sweet bay tree.
[24]
America's First Grape: The Muscadine - AgResearch Magazine
"The muscadine, which is called scuppernong locally, was the first native American grape to be cultivated," Magee says. "Many native Southerners can recall ...
[25]
State Fruit of North Carolina: Scuppernong Grape - NCpedia
Giovanni de Verrazano noticed this variety as far back as 1524, and explorers for Sir Walter Raleigh (or Ralegh, as it's sometimes spelled) in the 1580's sent ...Missing: early | Show results with:early
[26]
Genetic Diversity of Wild and Cultivated Muscadine Grapes (Vitis ...
Mar 28, 2022 · The earliest breeding efforts for muscadines began in the second half of the 19th century, with efforts to improve on the dominant variety “ ...
[27]
Roanoke Island's Vine Through Time - Our State Magazine
Apr 28, 2025 · At Estelle's urging, John and Jack bought a parcel of Mother Vineyard near the beach and transferred it to OBC in 2018. “It's in Mom's will that ...
[28]
The Mother Vine - Atlas Obscura
Aug 13, 2019 · Estimated to be 400 years old, the Mother Vine, located on North Carolina's Roanoke Island, is believed to be the oldest grape vine in all of North America.Missing: age significance
[29]
Mother Vine - North Carolina History
Known as the “oldest cultivated vine in America,” the Mother Vine on Roanoke Island is reportedly over 400 years old. Historians debate the exact age of the ...Missing: age significance
[30]
Mother Vine Scuppernong Wine - Atlas Obscura
Aug 16, 2019 · These white wines tend to have a distinct sweetness balanced by acidity and the historic grape's characteristic musky flavor.
[31]
The Keepers of the Mother Vine - Our State Magazine
Sep 24, 2014 · Some historians believe it may be America's oldest cultivated grapevine, possibly planted by the Croatan Indians or by early English settlers.Missing: age | Show results with:age
[32]
Scuppernong Grape State Fruit - State Symbols USA
North Carolina designated the Scuppernong grape as the official state fruit in 2001. A Scuppernong is a large variety of muscadine.
[33]
Muscadine Grapes - UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
Cultivars for eating fresh: 'Black Beauty', 'Fry', 'Southern Home', 'Summit', and 'Triumph', which are chosen for their sugar content, acidity, berry size, ...
[34]
[PDF] Muscadine Grape Production Guide for the Southeast
We recommend that you plant a mix of female and self-fertile cultivars. In the past, large berry size was available only in female cultivars. However, new.
[35]
Celebrate Eastern North Carolina's Muscadines and Scuppernongs
Sep 5, 2023 · Both the muscadine and scuppernong grapes are large, round, thick-skinned fruits that are often artfully transformed into sweet wines, jams and jellies.Muscadine Butter · Scuppernong Grape Hull Pie · Muscadine JellyMissing: culinary consumption
[36]
Muscadine - Aggie Horticulture
Weeds in first year vines should be controlled by hoeing out about a 3-foot circle around each vine. Kill weeds with ROUNDUP or RELY after the second year.
[37]
Grape Expectations: Growing Muscadine Grapes - Blogs
Jul 23, 2023 · Their unique, sweet-tart taste and juicy texture make them perfect for snacking, jams, jellies, or even homemade wines. Lastly, muscadine grapes ...Missing: Scuppernong consumption cuisine
[38]
General Information on Canning Jams, Jellies, and Marmalades
Muscadine or Scuppernong Jelly without Pectin ... Even though sugar helps preserve jellies and jams, molds can grow on the surface of these products.
[39]
Heritage Foods Make a Comeback - CALS Magazine
Nov 10, 2022 · Recipe: Muscadine Cobbler. Tammy Kelly, Lenoir County Extension director, got this recipe after judging the North Carolina Muscadine Festival's ...Revival Of A Great Grain · Refined Muscadine · Recipe: Muscadine CobblerMissing: scuppernong | Show results with:scuppernong
[40]
Muscadine: A taste of the South - WineMakerMag.com
Muscadines are vigorous vines that are native to the southeastern United States, ranging from Texas to the Carolinas. It flourishes in full sun and hot ...
[41]
Making Muscadine And Scuppernong Wine
Jul 9, 2020 · Most fresh Muscadine or Scuppernong wine recipes you will find typically call for both water and sugar in addition to the juice/grapes.
[42]
Scuppernong - Duplin Winery
Rating 5.0 (23) Scuppernong is a delicious Muscadine white wine made from native Southern grapes. This most famous variety of Vitis Rotundifolia is the oldest wine made in ...
[43]
Wine and Wine Making | NCpedia
The "Mother Vineyard" of scuppernong grapes was discovered on Roanoke Island by members of the Raleigh expeditions in 1584. For nearly four centuries, North ...
[44]
Duplin Winery - Akron Life Magazine
Sep 5, 2019 · Duplin Winery is the largest producer of muscadine wines in the world, rolling out over 525,000 cases annually. All Duplin wines are cold ...<|separator|>
[45]
Scuppernong Blush - Duplin Winery
Rating 4.8 (18) Scuppernong Blush is made from the famous Scuppernong grapes, lightly blended with late harvest Muscadine grapes.Missing: production | Show results with:production
[46]
[PDF] Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia) – the underdog grape of America
Wine and Juice Production: • In NC alone, ca. 600,000 -700,000 cases of muscadine wine are produced every year. • Muscadine growing systems are much more ...
[47]
2022 NC State Fair Wine Competition Awards
Gold ; Cypress Bend Vineyards “Catherine” NV – Carlos ; Locklear Vineyard & Winery NV – Carlos ; Lu Mil Vineyard “Taylor Divine” NV – Carlos/Scuppernong ; Cypress ...
[48]
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Travels of William Bartram, by ...
Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, the Cherokee country, the extensive territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek ...
[49]
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Conjure Woman, by Charles W ...
The luscious scuppernong holds first rank among our grapes, though we cultivate a great many other varieties, and our income from grapes packed and shipped to ...
[50]
Harper Lee – To Kill a Mockingbird - Chapter 4a - Genius
Plucking an occasional camellia, getting a squirt of hot milk from Miss Maudie Atkinson's cow on a summer day, helping ourselves to someone's scuppernongs was ...
[51]
Broomstraw Philosophers and Scuppernong Wine - Apple Music
Jan 1, 1975 · Listen to Broomstraw Philosophers and Scuppernong Wine by Larry Jon Wilson on Apple Music. 1975. Duration: 3:12.Missing: folk bluegrass
[52]
Scuppernong, 1951 - song and lyrics by John Work, Clipper Erickson
Listen to Scuppernong, 1951 on Spotify. Song · John Work, Clipper Erickson · 2008.
[53]
Scuppernong: II. Ring Game - Natalie Hinderas - Spotify
Listen to Scuppernong: II. Ring Game on Spotify. Song · John Wesley Work III, Natalie Hinderas · 2007.
[54]
Scuppernong Grape Vine on Roanoke Island in North Carolina
May 29, 2025 · This scuppernong vine is believed to be the oldest grape vine in all of North America, planted by Croatan Native Americans or the Lost Colony some 400 years ago ...Scuppernong and Muscadine Grapes in the Southeastern United ...First scuppernong grape vine in the US - FacebookMore results from www.facebook.com
[55]
Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia Michx., syn. Muscandinia ... - MDPI
Jun 22, 2019 · Starting in the 1960s, muscadine plantings increased, which followed the development of agricultural chemistries to control pests and improve ...