Fry Muscadine Vine

Fry Muscadine is a classic bronze muscadine known for its large fruit, sweet flavor, and excellent fresh-eating quality. Since its release by the University of Georgia in 1970, Fry has been considered one of the standards for high-quality bronze muscadines.

The large, attractive grapes ripen to a golden-bronze color and have a rich, traditional muscadine flavor. Fry is especially popular for eating fresh but can also be used for jelly, juice, preserves, desserts, and homemade wine. The Fry cultivar is unpatented.

Plant Details

• Plant Type: Deciduous fruiting vine
• Botanical Name: Vitis rotundifolia ‘Fry’
• Fruit Type: Bronze muscadine grape
• Flower Type: Female
• Self-Fertile: No
• Pollinator Required: Yes
• Variety Protection: Unpatented
• Fruit Color: Golden bronze when ripe
• Fruit Size: Large
• Flavor: Sweet with a rich, traditional muscadine flavor
• Harvest Season: Midseason, generally August into September in North Florida
• Ripening: Fairly even, although several pickings may be needed
• Sun: Full sun
• USDA Zones: Approximately 7–10
• Spacing: Approximately 15–20 feet between vines
• Support: Requires a strong arbor, fence, or post-and-wire trellis
• Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil
• Preferred Soil pH: Approximately 5.5–6.5
• Water: Water regularly during the first growing season and during extended dry periods
• Uses: Fresh eating, jelly, juice, preserves, desserts, and homemade wine
• Landscape Uses: Home vineyards, edible landscapes, orchards, arbors, and large trellises

University of Georgia trials classify Fry as a large, bronze, midseason muscadine with female flowers. Mature muscadines are vigorous vines and are normally spaced 12–20 feet apart on a strong trellis system.

Best Pollinator Partners

Fry is a female muscadine and cannot pollinate itself. It must be planted near a self-fertile muscadine variety that produces usable pollen.

The best pollinator partners from our selection include:

• Cowart Muscadine – strongest traditional companion
• Paulk Muscadine
• Carlos Muscadine
• Nesbitt Muscadine

Cowart has historically been planted as the pollinator in Fry vineyards. Paulk, Carlos, and Nesbitt are also self-fertile muscadines with useful seasonal overlap.

Plant the self-fertile pollinator within approximately 50 feet of Fry so pollen can be transferred effectively. Only a self-fertile muscadine can pollinate Fry.

Do not rely on these female varieties as pollinators:

• Summit
• Scarlett
• Jumbo
• Scuppernong

Those varieties also require pollen from a self-fertile muscadine.

North Florida Growing Note

Fry Muscadine is well suited to North Florida, the Florida Panhandle, South Alabama, and the Gulf Coast. Muscadines perform well throughout Florida when planted in full sun and well-drained soil. Avoid locations that remain saturated after heavy rain or soils with a high lime content.

Fry is considered relatively cold tolerant for a muscadine, making it a suitable choice for the northern part of the muscadine-growing region.

Fry can be more susceptible than some newer varieties to ripe rot and other fruit rots. Plant it where the vine will receive good sunlight and air circulation, avoid overhead watering, remove damaged or mummified fruit, and harvest ripe grapes regularly.

Muscadines produce fruit on new growth that develops from the previous season’s wood. Prune established vines each winter, preferably from mid-January through mid-March, to keep the vine manageable and productive.

Available primarily for local pickup at our nursery in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Limited shipping may be available for select smaller plants. Please contact us before placing an order that will require shipping.

Wholesale availability may be offered on select sizes and quantities. Please contact us for current inventory and wholesale information.

Advanced Nursery Growers
1911 McLeod Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Call: 850-391-2228
Email: info@advancednurserygrowers.com