Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) is a fast-growing, woody deciduous vine grown for its egg-sized, fuzzy brown fruit filled with emerald-green, black-seeded flesh and a sweet-tart flavour. Once exotic, it is now a successful commercial crop in the Indian hill states of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Nagaland and parts of Meghalaya and Kerala's high hills.
The vine is a strong climber that needs a sturdy pergola, trellis or T-bar support to carry its heavy growth and fruit load. Large, rounded leaves give dense summer shade, and creamy fragrant flowers appear in spring.
Kiwi is usually dioecious — male and female flowers grow on separate plants — so you need both a fruiting female and a pollinating male (roughly one male to several females) to get a crop, unless you grow a self-fertile variety.
With cool winters to provide chill, a frost-free flowering period, fertile well-drained soil and strong support, a kiwi vine becomes enormously productive, yielding fruit that stores well for weeks and is exceptionally high in vitamin C.
Specifications
| Family |
Actinidiaceae |
| Native region |
Central and eastern China |
| Mature height |
Vine 6-9 m long, trained on support |
| Mature spread |
3-6 m along trellis per vine |
| Growth rate |
Fast/vigorous |
| Foliage |
Deciduous; large rounded heart-shaped leaves, reddish-hairy when young |
| Flower colour |
Creamy white aging to buff-yellow, fragrant |
| Flower season |
Spring (Apr-May) |
| Climate zone |
Cool subtropical to temperate; needs about 400-800 chill hours |
Care guide
| Sunlight |
Full sun to light shade; full sun gives best cropping, with some shelter from hot afternoon sun in warmer hills |
| Watering |
Plentiful, consistent moisture in the growing season — shallow roots dry out fast; never waterlog |
| Soil / mix |
Fertile, deep, well-drained slightly acidic loam, pH 5.5-7.0, high in organic matter |
| Temperature |
Cool winters for chill and a frost-free spring; new growth and flowers are damaged below about -1°C |
| Humidity |
Moderate to fairly high humidity suits it, with good air movement |
| Fertilizer |
Heavy feeder — nitrogen-rich feeding in spring/early summer plus compost; ease off late season |
| Pruning |
Prune in winter (dormant) to a framework of fruiting canes, and trim excess summer growth; vigorous vines need yearly hard pruning |
| Repotting |
Best planted in the ground; container plants need a very large pot and strong support, refreshed every 2-3 years |
| Propagation |
Grafting, hardwood/softwood cuttings or layering of named male and female clones; seedlings are variable in sex |
| Pests & problems |
Root rot in wet soil, scale, leaf rollers, fruit-fly and fungal leaf spots; protect trunk from frost |
| Toxicity / safety |
Fruit is edible and nutritious; raphides (calcium oxalate) can irritate sensitive mouths and the fruit is a known allergen for some people; toxic to pets in quantity |
| Difficulty |
Moderate; needs support, both sexes and the right cool climate |
Uses
Eaten fresh as a tangy, vitamin-C-rich dessert fruit
Used in fruit salads, smoothies, juices and desserts
Made into jams, sauces and chutneys
Natural meat tenderiser due to the enzyme actinidin
Vigorous vine for shading a pergola or arbour
Growing tips
Build a strong pergola or T-bar trellis before planting — vines are heavy and vigorous
Plant one male vine for every 4-6 female vines (or choose a self-fertile type)
Mulch generously and water consistently; the shallow roots hate drying out
Prune hard each winter to keep fruiting wood productive and manageable
Shelter from strong wind and late frost, which shred leaves and kill blossom
