Types of Muscadine Grapes
Where other grapes can not take the heat and heat, muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) flourish in the hot and humid climate of their native southeastern United States. They grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone warmer and 7, in areas with long growing seasons. There are different types of muscadine grapes; grouped by their applications, varieties and the ways they reproduce.
Grape Species
Muscadines are among four main grape species which are cultivated in the USA. European grapes (V. vinifera) are most widely cultivated in California vineyards. French hybrids are crosses of American and European (V. labrusca) grapes, which are indigenous to the colder areas of the eastern U.S. In comparison to table grapes which grow in pendulous bunches and ripen all at once, muscadines rise in loose clusters and adult one at one time. Even though muscadines don’t function too in California as European varieties, they are valued there due to their rootstock. Muscadines have superior pest and disease resistance over other varieties, which makes their rootstock the preferred alternative for many grafted grapevines.
Reproductive Types
Muscadine vines are grouped into two reproductive types — ideal or self-fruitful, and unfinished or self-unfruitful. Imperfect, or pistillate, plants have only female flowers and must be increased near vines that can cross-pollinate them. Perfect plants have flowers with both male and female parts and are self-fertile. Dr. Keith Striegler of this University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service notes that just one perfect-flowered vine can pollinate eight nearby imperfect plants. For optimum pollination, Striegler recommends planting one ideal plant per three imperfect ones.
Varietal Types
Muscadine grapes have two color types — black or bronze. Black varieties include those that have pink, red and deep purple colors. Bronze varieties grow with hues of yellow, tan and green. The first named muscadine cultivar was a bronze grape known as “Scuppernong.” Over the years, scuppernong became a general term that was widely used to denote all bronze varieties, although it remains a particular muscadine cultivar. Black and bronze types are sub-grouped into early-, mid- and late-season maturing varieties.
Use Forms
Muscadines are divided into two types, according to their usage — fresh market for eating, and juice for pressing. Traits to get fresh-market grapes are chosen by viticulturists to hold well after crop without oozing cluttered juice. A main consideration is for strawberries to have a “dry stem scar,” meaning the purpose of attachment to this vine pulls cleanly when harvested without opening the grape. “Scarlett” and “Tara” are cultivars which have deep stem scars. Muscadines with “moist stem scars,” like “Noble” and “Magnolia” are suitable for making and pressing juice and wine.