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Wild muscadines
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Posted by
neptune24 8A, GA (
My Page) on
Thu, Aug 16, 12 at 2:39
| I was walking in the woods last evening, and I passed some wild muscadines as I usually do. They've had small green fruits on them for weeks, but the big surprise this time was that many of them had turned purple and were ready for picking. I just stuffed them in my pockets and ended up with about a pint. Next time I'm bringing a container! :)
Anyway, if you're near any wild muscadines, be prepared to pick some and take them home, because they're starting to ripen about now--at least in N. Ga. I can't wait to taste them. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Yep I picked up a snack bag full yesterday while out walking. Fresh ones were on the ground and since they had not split yet (and didn't have bugs), I picked them up to bring home and wash. They smell so good! |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Glad you got to pick some. Yours were on the ground? I didn't see many muscadines on the ground, until I started pulling on the vines to reach the real high ones. :) Some of the fruits are almost 10 feet up or so. Do muscadines even get bugs? I did see a few split ones on the vines. Actually, I haven't been washing mine, but perhaps I should. I don't remember really seeing any muscadines last year in the same locations--maybe the weather played a part, since it was a hot August. Yes, they do smell great. Glad you have some vines in your part of N. Ga. too. I've picked around half a gallon thus far. Hope I get to pick some more in the next week or so before they disappear! Next up--pears. We've got a ton of those on a couple of trees that aren't quite ripe yet, but still seem to be falling to the ground. Not sure why. The wasps and other insects sure like them. And maybe if we're lucky, our Heritage Everbearing raspberry will spit out a few more berries next month too. :) |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Oh, meant to add this: Do most folks eat the skins and seeds? I do. :) |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| I eat the skins but not the seeds. I only washed mine because they were on the ground (and people walk their dogs). If I pick them from the vine, I will eat them right then. Yes, usually the vines are too high for me to reach, so the ground is my only option. I only see bugs on them when they hit the ground and then split later - the open fruit attracts ants. I wish people would cultivate them more. We had several people ask for them at our native plant sale in April. |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| OK, I would definitely wash them too if they're on the ground and dogs are around. :) Yes, they sound like a great vine to cultivate. All the ones around where I live are wild, but I'm sure they must be easy to grow in GA. I imagine there are muscadines all over N. GA? |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| The distribution is pretty wide-spread and these maps aren't always accurate on all counties being surveyed: 
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RE: Wild muscadines
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| Thanks for the map. Is the link broken, though? I'm just seeing a blank image. |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Yeah, it worked when I previewed it. From the link below, click on the state of GA to see the distribution. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Distribution map
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Thanks, esh_ga. Well, as you said, the map isn't that accurate, because my county shows up in white! LOL. Is there any way to report my muscadines to those folks and set them straight, I wonder? :) |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| I have been eating them in large numbers both from named cultivars I have planted and some heavy producing wild ones. I eat the skins, seeds and all, most people don't like the seeds but the crunch like a pomegranate doesn't both me and I believe the the seeds are very healthy full of antioxidants. You can actually purhase the seeds or the extract. That map I don't beleive to be to accurate. I can't imagine a county in GA. that doesn't have them excepting maybe down in a fully swamp area. A large percentage in the wild are males and never fruit. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Muscadine seeds
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Thanks for the link, strudeldog. I have seen a lot of vines with no fruit--maybe they're males. Yes, I have no problem munching on the seeds either. :) |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| I don't know what it takes to get a county added. And I suspect they only want to add ones that had it originally, but am not sure. Certainly I can imagine that people have now carried muscadines to every county in the state as they moved from place to place. Well, I guess I'll try swallowing the seeds from now on! |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Hey, apparently you can petition to have something added. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Distribution update
RE: Wild muscadines
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| We can petition? Cool. I'll pass it around on this forum and hopefully everybody can sign it. ;) Thanks for the link. I'll have to let them know. As for the seeds, I just chew them. To me, it's easier than trying to spit them out. :) |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| A friend gave me some cultivated muscadines today - wow! Sweeter, juicer, fewer seeds and I think even the skins are thinner. I guess there are improved cultivars out there that you can buy and plant. |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Ison's here in GA. is pretty much the leader introducing select Muscadines, that is what they are know for. I do eat the seeds, but would forward to seedless being developed. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Muscadine cultivars
RE: Wild muscadines
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| I wonder if the cultivated ones are as resistant to pests? |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Has anyone tried growing these from the seeds or rooting the vine from a cutting? I have them growing wild on my property, but they are mostly growing on trees and are not easy to get to. I'd like to plant some where they would be easier to pick, but wasn't sure how difficult it would be to grow from seed or root a cutting. |
RE: Wild muscadines
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| Very easy to grow from seed - my wild ones drop fruit down all the time and sprout new babies. But I have to say - after sampling the cultivated ones, they are certainly much sweeter, bigger and with fewer seeds. And the skin is thinner too so you don't have to spit it out (like many people do with the wild ones). If you are going to the trouble to grow them to eat, consider buying one instead. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Isons nursery
RE: Wild muscadines
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Bought 4 different varieties of muscadines for $1.50 each on the discount rack at Lowes last fall/winter.
They all died, I taught. Nothing left on the small plants. In spring when everything was in full action, these were dead, so put them on the driveway to take back to Lowe's. Two weeks later a leaf appeared. So I put the pots back in a bed, out of way. Then all heck broke lose. They started growing and growing. I finally put them in the ground temporarily until they go dormant in the fall and can be moved to a permanent home. They continued to grow and grow and all are major plants now. |
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