Grapes are welcome summer treats that can be eaten fresh, processed into jellies, jams, juice or even fermented into wine. Grapes are adapted to many soil types, and can be quite long-lived. There are basically two kinds of grapes grown in North Carolina, bunch grapes and muscadine.
Bunch grapes produce berries in large clusters, and grow best in the mountains and piedmont areas.
In coastal plain areas, Pierce's disease kills or shortens the life expectancy of many popular bunch grapes. Muscadine grapes, exemplified by the Scuppernong variety and noted for having smaller clusters, are not affected by this disease. This leaflet presents detailed suggestions for the establishment and care of bunch grapes. There are seedless table varieties, native Fox-type table grapes such as Concord, muscats and many wine varieties. Both vinifera and French-American hybrids are used primarily for winemaking purposes.