By Gerard Krewer
University of
Georgia
Muscadine season is back. And it’s time to enjoy a fruit that is
one of the most flavorful in the world.
Most fruits are now available nearly year-round, because they’re
grown somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere during our winter
season. But not muscadines.
These great grapes are grown commercially only in the southern
United States.
Muscadines usually begin ripening in August in extreme south
Georgia. The harvest then moves northward and ends in early
October. Muscadines grow everywhere in the state except in the
high mountains.
About 80 Georgia growers are producing muscadines on about 1,200
acres of vineyards. There is also tremendous backyard production
of muscadines in Georgia. Several distant shippers, as well as
some pick-your-own farms, are located around the state.
Most of Georgia’s muscadines are grown for fresh markets. But
backyard gardeners can enjoy this easy-to-grow fruit, too. The
vines are best planted when they are dormant in late fall to
early winter.
Southerners have enjoyed eating wild muscadines since we first
settled this land.
In the early 1800s, a number of superior wild varieties were
selected for cultivation. One of these was “Scuppernong.” Found
on the Scuppernong River in North Carolina in 1810, it has
become the common name for all bronze muscadines.
University of Georgia scientists have been breeding muscadines
since the 1920s. Today’s table grape cultivars are over an inch
in diameter with fantastic flavor.
They come in a range of colors from bronze to red to purple to
black. Many varieties have tender, edible skin that makes them
prized as table grapes.
Among the bronzes, Fry, Summit, Supreme and Tara are fresh-fruit
favorites. Noble and Carlos are noted for their good wine
quality. Many others are wonderful in cider, wines, jellies,
preserves and syrups.
Studies show that muscadines are rich in dietary fiber and
important minerals, low in fat and protein and high in
carbohydrates. They’re a better source of calcium, iron, zinc
and manganese than many other fruits.
Muscadines also contain significant quantities of ellagic acid,
which can lower the risk of colon, lung and liver cancer.
To learn more about how to grow muscadines, contact your local
UGA Cooperative Extension office. Your local Extension office
can also give you a list of local growers for fresh fruit. For a
list of Georgia’s wineries, go to www.georgiawinecountry.com.
