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Actinidia deliciosa - (A.Chev.)C.F.Liang.& A.R.Ferguson.

Kiwi Fruit

Author	(A.Chev.)C.F.Liang.& A.R.Ferguson.	Botanical references	11, 200
Family	Actinidiaceae	Genus	Actinidia
Synonyms	Actinidia chinensis deliciosa - (A.Chev.)A.Chev.
Known Hazards	None known
Range	E. Asia - China
Habitat	Derived in cultivation from A. chinensis, it is not known in a truly wild situation.
Edibility Rating	5 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Climber growing to 9m at a medium rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; South Wall By; West Wall By;

Cultivars: (as above except)
'Abbot'
'Blake'
'Hayward'
'Saanichton 12'
'Tomuri'
'Yellow Mountains'

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit; Leaves.

Fruit - raw or cooked. A delicious flavour[1, 2, 3, 11, 105], the fruit can be up to 8cm long, it is very juicy when fully ripe and has a refreshing, acid flavour[K]. It contains a number of small seeds, but these are easily eaten with the fruit[K]. Rich in vitamin C[183]. Fresh fruits contain 100 - 420mg vitamin C per 100g and 8 - 14% carbohydrate[218]. Acidity is 1 - 2%, mainly citric acid[218]. The fruit ripens in November and can store for 3 - 4 months[132]. Yields of 8 - 30 tonnes per hectare are possible[218]. Leaves are a famine food[179].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Diuretic; Febrifuge; Sedative.

The fruits, stems and roots are diuretic, febrifuge and sedative[147]. They are used in the treatment of stones in the urinary tract, rheumatoid arthralgia, cancers of the liver and oesophagus[147].

Other Uses

Paper; Pencil.

Paper is made from the bark[178]. If the bark is removed in one piece from near the root and placed in hot ashes, it becomes very hard and can be used as a tube for a pencil[178].

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers are sweetly scented.

Cultivation details

Prefers a sound loamy acid soil, it dislikes alkaline soils and becomes chlorotic at pH 6 or higher[11]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.5 to 7.3. Succeeds in semi-shade but full sun is best for fruit production[3, 126, 200]. Prefers a sheltered position[200]. Does well when grown into trees[K]. Plants requires a 6 - 8 month frost-free growing season[160, 200]. They are hardy to about -12°c when fully dormant but young growth is very subject to damage by late frosts, being killed back at -2°c[160, 200]. Plants also require a winter chilling of 600 - 1100 hours below 7°c and a long warm summer to ripen the fruit[200]. Plants fruit on second year wood or on fruit spurs produced on older wood[126], any pruning is best carried out in the winter[219]. The flowers are sweetly scented[245]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is widely cultivated in warm temperate zones for its edible fruit, there are many named varieties[183, 200]. The fruit can store for up to 9 months at 0°c with a relative humidity of 90%, but under domestic conditions 4 - 6 weeks is optimal[200]. This is a rampant climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around branches etc[200]. Plants have been seen with very good crops of fruit at the Hillier Arboretum in Hampshire in several autumns. These plants had outgrown their planned supports and had climbed 15 metres into neighbouring trees. The main problem with them would be how to harvest the fruit[K]. The female 'Heywood' is the most commonly cultivated form in Britain (1993), its fruits store well but it tends to flower late and there can be problems with pollination[126]. The cultivar 'Blake' is said to be fast cropping and self-fertile[200]. The male 'Tomurii' is free-flowering and disease-resistant[202]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200]. Plants are usually dioecious, but hermaphrodite forms are known. However, the fruit quality and yield of these hermaphrodite forms is usually inferior[11]. Male and female plants must usually be grown if seed is required, one male to five or six females is normally adequate.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[133]. It is probably best if the seed is given 3 months stratification[113], either sow it in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in November or as soon as it is received. Fresh seed germinates in 2 - 3 months at 10°c, stored seed can take longer[133]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. When the plants are 30cm or more tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts[K]. Most seedlings are male[126]. The seedlings are subject to damping off, they must be kept well ventilated[113]. Cuttings of softwood as soon as ready in spring in a frame[K]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very high percentage[113]. Cuttings of ripe wood, October/November in a frame.

Cultivars

'Abbot'

A small to medium-size fruit, the skin has especially dense long hairs[183]. Well-flavoured[183]. The fruits are small unless they are well-thinned[183]. A vigorous, early-flowering, productive vine, cropping heavily whilst still young[183].

'Blake'

A relatively small fruit, it tends to taper near the blossom end[183]. Ripening 6 - 8 weeks earlier than 'Hayward', it therefore considerably extends the fruiting season[183]. A precocious and productive plant, it can produce a crop in as little as 1 year after being grafted[183]. It flowers very early and is said to be self-fertile[183].

'Hayward'

A very large fruit, of superior flavour[183]. It stores longer than most cultivars[183]. This cultivar is the most commonly cultivated form in Britain (1993), its fruits store well but it tends to flower very late[183] and there can be problems with pollination.

'Janine'

A hermaphrodite form, therefore it does not require a male plant for fertilization. We do not as yet have any information on fruit quality.

'Saanichton 12'

The fruit is large and sweet[183]. This cultivar has grown well on Vancouver Island, Canada, for several years, it is not harmed by winter temperatures that have damaged other cultivars[183]. Recommended for garden use, it is also being investigated as a possible commercial cultivar[183].

'Tomuri'

A late-flowering male form, it has been selected as a pollinator for 'Heywood'[183].

'Yellow Mountains'

A form from the Yellow Mountains of China, it has relatively small fruit of excellent eating quality[183]. Being tested in North Carolina(1993), it has the potential of fruiting more successfully in cooler climates than standard cultivars[183].

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Why Perennials, Woodland Garden Plants.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[3] Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7
A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[126] ? The Plantsman. Vol. 6. 1984 - 1985. Royal Horticultural Society 1984
Excerpts from the periodical giving cultivation details and other notes on some of the useful plants including Actinidia and Wisteria species.

[132] Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth. 0
Lovely pictures, a very readable book.

[133] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press 0 ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[160] Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987. 0
Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 0
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[202] Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990 ISBN 0-670-82929-3
Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Actinidia deliciosa

kris Mon Jul 28 20:24:57 2003

This is good information,thank you. Where can I get information about the Guanabano plant used for cancer treatment? Please answer to krispilar1@aol.com.

Actinidia deliciosa

Sat Aug 5 2006

will it grow in the northern US

Actinidia deliciosa

Kurt Liebezeit Thu Mar 15 2007

Young, tender kiwi plants are more susceptible to frost damage than an older kiwi plant. A late spring frost is the most dangerous for an older plant; you probably don't need to protect the main stem, but wrap the most tender shoots in a blanket or other thermal covering when a late frost is likely.

Actinidia deliciosa

Thu May 24 2007

I grew my kiwi vine from a slice of the fruit purchased at a supermarket. It is really rampant , grpwomg up into a neighbouring maple tree and spreading over into my next door neighbours garden.This year it is full of flower buds. We have had fruit from it for several years; not too ripe! This year the vines are smothered in bud. I am hoping for really delecious fruit!Mrs/M.E.Wingrovw. Thursday 24th May 2007.

Actinidia deliciosa

Chris Taylor Wed Oct 17 2007

best variety to grow as building cover, all year round,fruit not necessary, in SE England? Clay soil, sun and shade, good ground prep intended.Any varieties wihich keep leafs longer?

Actinidia deliciosa

Marlene Prescott Tue Jul 8 2008

I have one small Actinidia deliciosa planted in a somewhat shady location. As of this date, I don't have a proper trellis for it to grow on. I also have another kiwi which I planted about 12 years ago. It lost its mate when it was very young to frost. Know I don't know what sex it is. I think it is a male but I am only guessing. The actinidia deliciosa I recently planted has a tag on it stating that it is a female. I am wondering if the earlier one is a male whether I will ever get them to mate and bear fruit. I suppose it is best if I go out and purchase another Actinidia deliciosa. How close together do the plants need to be? I am on Vancouver Island. Can you suggest a nursery where I might get the Saanichton variety. Thank you for your assistance. Marlene

Actinidia deliciosa

Rebecca Sat Feb 21 2009

This is great overview on US varietals and cultivation: extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/pnw/pnw507.pdf

Actinidia deliciosa

Raffi Wed Jul 22 2009

Plants.am gardening wiki: Kiwi cultivation page

Actinidia deliciosa

d. mangan Tue Oct 20 2009

my neighbour has a actinidia growing up against my wall could this cause structial damage or damp?

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