Muscadine Grape Vitis rotundifolia

The muscadine grape is a woody, deciduous, climbing vine native to the southern United States. In nature, it is typically found in dry upland forests with especially sandy or rocky soil, swamps, roadsides and thickets. A member of the grape family (Vitaceae), the muscadine differs from other grape species in that its tendrils are simple, while other native species have forked tendrils. It is the most common and familiar wild grape.

The muscadine grape prefers full sun to partial shade and will grow in most types of soil as long as it is well-drained. The height and width of the vine varies due to the amount of support that the vine receives. This plant is dioecious, meaning that both male and female plants are needed for the female plant to produce fruit.

Muscadine grapes are large and have thick skin but are good for eating and wine-making due to their sweet, pungent flavor. The grapes appear singly or in small groups, not in large clusters, and are purplish-black or bronze in color. Ripe grapes are fully colored and soft and may be stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. Over-ripe grapes tend to appear wrinkled.  

While over 300 cultivars of muscadine grapes are sold in the Southeast United States, most are female. The cultivar 'Scuppernong' was named for the Scuppernong River in northeastern North Carolina and is the official state fruit of North Carolina. NC State Extension has a description of popular cultivars. 

The muscadine grape attracts bees, pollinators, small mammals and songbirds and is a natural addition to pollinator, native and edible gardens. Because it is a vine one is able to train it to many hardscapes, making it a good landscape choice for a privacy screen, fence, trellis or pergola, as long as there is enough space and light for healthy growth. It is often used as a specimen plant by homeowners and can be found in children’s gardens, recreational play areas, woodlands and naturalized areas.

Quick ID Hints:

• climbing, spreading, a deciduous vine with unbranched tendrils
• smooth, non-exfoliating, greenish-brown or brown bark
• small greenish-yellow white flowers in panicles that bloom from May to June
• the leaves are large, shiny, nearly circular in outline with blunt teeth
• shiny purplish-black to bronze berries that ripen in September and October

Fire Risk: This plant has an extreme flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home.  

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids and thrips can occur. Diseases may include powdery mildew, black rot, bitter rot, and leaf spot. Their resistance to Pierce's disease and the insect phylloxera makes this vine valuable as a commercial crop. These pests are widespread in the Southeast United States, killing the plant's roots. 

VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Penny Perkins-Veazie, Professor and Postharvest Physiologist at NC State's Plants for Human Health Institute