The genus Actinidia contains mostly deciduous, woody climbing vines grown for their edible kiwifruit and ornamental value. The handsomely gnarled vines of the kiwi plant grow thick and dense with lustrous heart-shaped foliage and quickly cover walls and garden structures, typically reaching 12 to 30 feet tall and up to 8 to 10 feet wide, depending on cultivar. The vines produce delicious and nutritious kiwifruit that ripen in fall and range from the fuzzy egg-sized brown fruits to the smooth grape-sized green fruits of the ‘Issai’ cultivar, which can be eaten skin and all. The leaves can also be cooked and eaten, mainly as an herb. Kiwi plants are a great choice for vertical edible gardens and containers.
Actinidia is a small genus of about 30 species, including A. arguta (hardy kiwi, tara vine), A. deliciosa (kiwifruit, Chinese gooseberry [synonym A. chinensis]), and A. polygama (silvervine), which is very attractive to cats. Although rare, some cultivars are self-pollinating, but most kiwi are dioecious and require cross-pollination of a male and female plant for fruit production. And it is very important that the male and female vines be planted close together. Male plants pollinate female plants but do not fruit. Best fruit production occurs in full sun. To make kiwi growing as easy as possible, we offer kiwi kits that contain 2 varieties that work best together.
