Anna Sara Hill, Horticulture Extension Agent
Fall is a great time to make jelly and work on holiday wreaths or other craft decorations. One of my favorite multipurpose vines and fruits is a southeastern native, the Muscadine.
Muscadines belong to the subgenus Muscadinia within the genus Vitis, and they are the most unique member of the grape family. They are set apart from true grapes on a genetic level by their set of 2n=40 chromosomes, instead of the standard 38 possessed by true grapes (subgenus: Vitis). Due to the chromosome differences, only a couple of varieties have been crossbred between the two types.
Muscadines thrive in the hot, humid weather of the southeast. They grow on stout dioecious vines. Seventy-five percent of the wild-type vines are male pollinators, and the rest are fruit-bearing. The majority of the fruit is dark purple or “black” fruit. Some muscadines yield large greenish bronze fruit, which may have dark specks. Bronze fruit resulted from a mutation of the dark colored muscadines. Over the years, several muscadine varieties have been developed with complete flowers that are self-fruiting.
The oldest known cultivated muscadine vine in the United States is located on Roanoke Island near where Sir Walter Raleigh’s expedition landed. The vine bears bronze grapes, historically referred to as “White Grapes” and later “Roanoke Grape”. The grand old vine named the “Mother Vine” is thought to be over 400 years old, but its actual age and origins are under hot debate. Authenticating the vines’ age by DNA analysis has not been done for fear of damaging the old vine by sampling its core.
Many legends swirl around Mother Vine regarding where it came from and who planted it. Some say it was the Croatians, and it was planted long before the colonists landed. Some think that the colonists planted it themselves. Others believe it was planted sometime later by a Roanoke land grant holder.
There are several colloquial names for Muscadines; some are misnomers as they indicate true grapes and other types of fruit. A commonly misused name is Scuppernong, which is frequently used to describe all bronze muscadines. The first bronze muscadine variety released by the University of Georgia was named Scuppernong after the Scuppernong River in Tyree, NC. It was propagated from the “mother vine” located on Roanoke Island but was named after the region where the ancestors of the parental vine grew in significant quantities. Scuppernong should only be used to refer to the true variety and not to the group of bronze fruit. Over the years, many different varieties have been developed, both dark and bronze, with thinner and less tough skins.
Muscadines were used as a food and wine staple by both Native Americans and generations of southerners. Native Americans sun-dried the fruit and ate the raisins during the long winters. A favorite treat for many old-time southerners is muscadine “hull pie”. The Native American version was muscadine dumplings.
Studies show that muscadine skin is loaded with Resveratrol, which has anticarcinogenic properties, lowers cholesterol and the risk of coronary heart disease. Long before the revelations of modern science, Native Americans valued muscadines for their medicinal properties. They used all parts of the plant, including bark and leaves, to brew teas and make poultices to treat all illnesses and maladies. They also used vines to make utilitarian objects, such as baskets and ropes. Today, crafters still enjoy using the vines to make muscadine wreath.
To learn more about muscadines and their historical significance to the South, click here to read the full article on HGIC.
