Botanical name
Actinidia deliciosa
FAQ
Is kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) frost-hardy in the temperate climate of Europe?
Partially. Mature, woody, dormant shoots tolerate frosts of around −12 to −15 °C (USDA zone 7), but young plants are clearly more sensitive, and spring growth and flowers are killed at just −2 °C. In colder regions of Europe, the vine should be planted in the warmest, most sheltered spot in the garden and protected during its first winters, or grown in a container that is overwintered in a cool, frost-free room.
Why do I need several plants to get fruit?
Actinidia deliciosa is dioecious: one plant produces only female flowers, while another produces only male flowers. Fruit develops only on female plants pollinated with pollen from a male plant. One male plant is sufficient for 4–8 female plants, so when growing from seed, it is worth raising several or a dozen plants and keeping both types after they flower for the first time.
Will plants grown from seed be the same as store-bought kiwis?
No. Commercial cultivars such as 'Hayward' are propagated vegetatively, while seedlings inherit traits from both parents and differ from one another in fruit size, flavor and ripening time. Seedling fruit is fully edible but may be smaller; nevertheless, each seedling is a genetically new plant from which you can select a form adapted to your local climate.
After how many years will kiwi grown from seed start producing fruit?
Plants grown from seed usually flower and produce fruit for the first time after 7–8 years, sometimes later, whereas grafted plants of named cultivars need 3–5 years. It is also impossible to determine a seedling's sex earlier. Fruiting can be accelerated by grafting scions from known female and male cultivars onto seedlings.
Can kiwi be grown in a pot?
Yes, although it is a vigorous-growing plant. It needs a container at least 45–60 cm in diameter, fertile, well-drained soil, sturdy support, and regular watering in summer because it dries out quickly. In winter, move the pot to a bright, cool room (0–8 °C) - the plant sheds its leaves and then requires only occasional moistening of the root ball.
How large does kiwi grow and how quickly?
It is one of the fastest-growing fruit vines: an established plant grows 2–3.5 m per year, while mature plants reach 5–9 m in shoot length. Without pruning, it quickly forms a tangle of shoots, so each winter prune it back to a few main branches, and shorten the side shoots in summer. A sturdy pergola or wire framework is essential from the first season.
What type of soil and fertilization does kiwi prefer?
Deep, fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5–7.0 is best; the plant does not tolerate calcareous or heavy, waterlogged soils. Kiwi has a high nitrogen requirement - fertilize it with compost or a balanced fertilizer in several applications during spring and early summer, finishing in July so the shoots have time to harden before winter. A mulch of bark or compost helps retain moisture in its shallow root system.
Are kiwi fruits, leaves, or shoots poisonous?
The fruit is edible and very rich in vitamin C, but it contains the enzyme actinidin and oxalates, which can cause a burning sensation in the mouth or an allergic reaction in some people; the hairs on the skin may irritate the throat. The shoots and roots contain actinidin - a compound with a catnip-like scent that attracts cats. Animals may rub against the trunk and damage young plants, so it is worth protecting them with mesh.
When do the fruits ripen, and how should they be stored?
In Europe's temperate climate, harvest the fruit from October to November, while it is still firm and before the first severe frosts. It ripens after harvesting: in a refrigerator or cool cellar, it keeps for 4–6 weeks, and under cold-storage conditions, even 3–4 months. At room temperature, next to apples, it softens within a few days.
Plant Atlas - Actinidia deliciosa
Actinidia deliciosa - Kiwi
Actinidia deliciosa is a woody, twining vine from the kiwifruit family (Actinidiaceae), whose fruits - kiwifruit - went within a single century from wild-collected “monkey peaches” in the Chinese mountains to becoming one of the world's most recognizable fruits. The genus Actinidia includes several dozen vine species from eastern Asia, and its name comes from the Greek word aktis (ray), referring to the radially arranged stigmas in the female flower. The specific epithet deliciosa - “delicious” - was given by the French botanist Auguste Chevalier in 1940, when he described the plant as a variety of Actinidia latifolia; in 1984, Chou Fen Liang and Ross Ferguson elevated it to species rank, citing differences in the structure of the flowers and fruits and in chromosome number.
Modern taxonomy, including the Plants of the World Online database, treats Actinidia deliciosa as a synonym of Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa - a variety that forms, together with yellow kiwifruit (var. chinensis) and Taiwanese kiwifruit (var. setosa), a single species complex. In horticulture and trade, however, the name Actinidia deliciosa remains widely used and refers specifically to “green kiwifruit” or “fuzzy kiwifruit” - a plant with hairy, brown skin and emerald-green flesh, which we present in this description.
Botanical description and growth habit
Kiwifruit is a large, deciduous vine whose shoots twine around supports and, in nature, climb trees to a height of 9 m or more. The trunk of a mature plant thickens to several inches, and its bark is brownish gray, with distinct, longitudinal lenticels. Young shoots, leaf stalks and buds are covered with dense, reddish-brown tomentum of coarse hairs, a feature distinguishing this species from the smooth-shooted Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis and the small-leaved hardy kiwi (A. arguta).
The leaves are alternate, long-stalked, broadly ovate to almost round, heart-shaped at the base, with finely serrated margins. On mature plants they reach 7.5–12.5 cm in length, while on vigorous young shoots they may reach as much as 20–25 cm. The upper surface of the leaf blade is dark green and matte, while the underside is white or silvery and felted, with prominent pale veins. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow and fall, revealing a tangle of woody shoots with a decorative, twisted silhouette.
Growth rate and development
Actinidia deliciosa is one of the most vigorous vines of the temperate climate. Once established, in fertile, moist soil, individual shoots can grow by 2–3.5 m in a season, while their tips make characteristic circular movements in search of support. For this reason, the plant needs a sturdy structure from the outset: a pergola, trellis or T-bar wire system, as used to train it in orchards. Without pruning, within a few years it forms a heavy, opaque mass of shoots that can bring down lightweight supports.
The plant develops in several stages. During the first 2–3 years, the seedling develops its root system and trunk; during this period, it is most vulnerable to frost, drought and wind. Grafted plants of named cultivars flower after 3–5 years, whereas plants grown from seed reach generative maturity after 7–8 years, sometimes slightly later. Only the first flowering makes it possible to determine the sex of the individual. A mature vine is long-lived - kiwi orchards remain fully productive for 40–50 years, and in a garden the plant may outlive its owner.
Flowering and propagation
The flowers develop in late spring, in Europe's temperate climate most often from the end of May to the end of June, on current-year shoots growing from the previous year's wood. They are large for a vine - 2.5–5 cm in diameter - with five or six petals, initially creamy white, becoming tawny yellow with age, and delicately fragrant, somewhat resembling lime tree flowers. Female flowers have a prominent pistil in the centre with many radially spreading stigmas, surrounded by stamens producing infertile pollen; male flowers are slightly smaller, with numerous stamens and a rudimentary pistil. The flowers do not produce nectar, yet bees collecting pollen readily visit them and are the main pollinators.
The species is dioecious, which is crucial for cultivation: fruit develops only on female plants, and pollination requires a male plant flowering at the same time. A female flower remains receptive for up to 9 days, while pollen remains viable for approximately 3 days. In orchards, one male plant is planted for every 4–8 female plants; in a home garden, one pair is sufficient. Vegetative propagation preserves the sex and cultivar characteristics, whereas generatively propagated plants are a mixture of their parents' traits. Seedlings produce approximately equal numbers of male and female plants, so growing from seed requires raising a larger number of plants and selecting them after the first flowering. Scions of known cultivars can also be grafted onto seedlings, using them as vigorous, healthy rootstocks.
The fruit is a berry, ranging from ovoid to cylindrical, 5–6.5 cm long, with rusty-brown skin densely covered with short, stiff hairs. The flesh is light green and juicy, with a white, radially veined central core and a ring of 1,000 or more tiny black seeds. The flavour ranges from sweet and wine-like to distinctly tart, while the vitamin C content - 100–420 mg per 100 g - is among the highest of cultivated fruits. The fruits ripen in October and November; when harvested firm, they ripen in storage and retain their quality for 3–4 months in cold storage.
Origin and natural habitat
The species is native to the mountains of central and southern China: the provinces of Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Henan, Hunan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Gansu, Jiangxi and Guangxi, as well as the directly administered municipality of Chongqing. Wild vines grow there in moist, mixed mountain forests, thickets along forest edges, ravines and along streams, at elevations of 800–1400 m above sea level, where summers are warm and rainy and winters are cool, with regular frosts. This mountain origin explains both the need for winter cold and the plant’s sensitivity to drought and hot, dry winds.
Wild populations of the deliciosa variety inhabit the cooler, inland areas of southwestern China, while var. chinensis occurs in the warmer coastal provinces of the southeast. Genetic studies indicate that green kiwifruit is more closely related to the Taiwanese var. setosa than to var. chinensis, which illustrates the complexity of this species complex. In China, wild plants are still collected, and since the 1970s, programmes have been carried out to conserve and utilise wild genetic material, from which cultivars such as Qinmei, Guichang and Miliang No. 1 originate.
Environmental requirements and tolerance
Kiwifruit needs a sunny position; it tolerates light partial shade, but then flowers and fruits less abundantly. Shelter from wind is crucial - the large leaves are easily shredded and turn brown, while young shoots break even in winds of 15–25 km/h. The soil should be deep, fertile, rich in humus and perfectly well drained, with a slightly acidic to neutral reaction (pH 5.5–7.0). In calcareous soils, the plant suffers from chlorosis, while in compacted, waterlogged substrate it is prone to root and crown rot, one of the most common causes of losses. The root system is shallow and extensive, so the vine responds to drought by curling its leaves and requires even moisture throughout the season.
In terms of temperature, the species is a moderately warm-climate plant. Fully dormant, woody shoots of mature specimens tolerate −12 to −15 °C, corresponding to USDA zone 7; horticultural sources give the entire plant a zone range of 7–9, while some, such as PFAF, allow zone 6 in a favourable position. Spring frosts are much more dangerous than winter cold: emerging buds and young shoots die at −2 °C, while autumn frosts before harvest damage the fruit. A full fruiting cycle requires 6–8 months without frost (more than 200 days) and 600–1100 hours of winter chilling below 7 °C so that the buds emerge from dormancy evenly. Diseases and pests are few; in commercial cultivation, bacterial kiwifruit canker (Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae) can be a problem, while in gardens, spider mites, scale insects and powdery mildew may occur.
Cultivation in a temperate climate
In warmer regions of Europe - along the Atlantic coast, in the Mediterranean basin and in mild valleys - kiwifruit is grown outdoors without protection, and it was there, in Italy, Greece, France and Portugal, that large orchards were established. In cooler regions of Europe, this is also possible, but it requires careful site selection: ideally a south- or south-west-facing wall of a building, which radiates heat and provides protection from the wind, and a location free from frost pockets. For the first 2–3 winters, young plants are covered with horticultural fleece, while the base of the trunk is mounded with soil or bark; mature specimens generally cope on their own, although in severe winters the shoot tips may suffer frost damage.
An alternative is to grow the plant in a large container 45–60 cm in diameter or larger, filled with fertile, well-drained growing medium and fitted with a sturdy trellis. In summer, such a plant is kept on a sheltered terrace, and after the leaves fall, it is moved to a bright, cool room at a temperature of 0–8 °C; overwintering in warmth is unsuccessful because the plant does not enter dormancy. Pruning is essential in every form of cultivation: in winter, the trunk and two horizontal arms are trained, from which fruiting shoots emerge each year, while in summer excessive growth is shortened to let more light into the canopy and direct the plant's energy into fruit production. Fertilization focuses on spring and early summer; late applications of nitrogen delay the hardening of the shoots and increase the risk of frost damage.
Uses in ornamental and productive gardening
In addition to its fruit value, Actinidia deliciosa is one of the most striking deciduous climbers. Its large, heart-shaped leaves form a dense, cool roof over a pergola or garden gazebo in summer; its rust-coloured, hairy shoots and fragrant, creamy flowers attract attention and bees, while in winter its twisted, woody stems give the structure a sculptural character. The plant is excellent for concealing tall fences, garage walls and unattractive outbuildings, provided that the structure can withstand its weight. In a home garden, it combines well with grapevines, Actinidia arguta and Actinidia kolomikta, as well as climbing roses on neighbouring supports.
Cultural significance and history of the name
In China, the plant had been known for centuries as míhóutáo - “monkey peach”, as well as “fox peach”, “climbing pear” and “sheep peach”; the earliest references come from Tang dynasty poetry of the 9th century, while a 12th-century medical compendium recorded that monkeys ate the fruit. The fruit was gathered from wild-growing climbers and sold at markets. In 1847, specimens reached the Royal Horticultural Society in London, where the plant was cultivated mainly as an ornamental curiosity. The real breakthrough came in 1904, when New Zealand teacher Mary Isabel Fraser brought seeds from Chinese mission schools; from them, Alexander Allison raised the first plants in 1906, which produced fruit in 1910.
All classic New Zealand cultivars - 'Abbott', 'Allison', 'Bruno', 'Monty' and, above all, 'Hayward' - originated from these very seeds. 'Hayward' was selected around 1924 by nurseryman Hayward Wright of Avondale and remains dominant in global trade to this day. The fruits were initially sold as “Chinese gooseberry”, although they have nothing to do with gooseberries. In 1959, the exporter Turners and Growers, seeking a name attractive to the American market, named them “kiwifruit” - after the flightless, brown and fluffy kiwi bird, a symbol of New Zealand. The name caught on worldwide, and in the 1970s, 'Hayward' orchards were established in Italy, France, California and Chile. Today, global production exceeds 4 million tonnes per year, more than half of it in China - the country where the plant originated.
Who this species is for
Growing kiwifruit from seed is an option for patient gardeners who enjoy experimenting and have space for several vigorous climbers. You must bear in mind that the plants are variable, their sex can only be determined after several years, and the first fruits appear after 7–8 seasons. In return, you get healthy, vigorous plants with exceptional ornamental value, excellent rootstocks for grafting well-known cultivars, and the chance to select a form adapted to local conditions. However, this species is not a good choice for people seeking a reliable harvest within a few years - grafted plants of named cultivars or hardier hardy kiwi and variegated kiwi are better options here.
Summary
Actinidia deliciosa is a magnificent, fast-growing and long-lived fruiting climber of Chinese mountain origin. It is dioecious and requires sturdy support, sun, shelter from wind, and fertile, well-drained soil. The woody shoots withstand frosts down to approximately −12/−15 °C, making it possible to grow the plant outdoors in milder regions of Europe, while in colder areas it should be grown against a wall or in a container. The species is widely cultivated and is not listed as threatened in the IUCN Red List; wild populations in China are covered by national genetic resource conservation programmes.
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