Bower actinidia Actinidia arguta
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ack-ti-NID-ee-ah ar-GUE-tah
- Description
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Hardy kiwi is an edible woody climbing vine in the kiwi family (Actinidiacea) native to Japan, Korea, China and Russia. There are three varieties and several cultivars available. The Genus name comes from the Greek word aktis meaning ray referring to how the plant growth radiates like the spokes of a wheel. Specific epithet means sharply toothed or notched referring to the leaves.
In the garden, the hardy kiwi vine can grow 30 feet in one year. In its native habitat, it can grow up to 100 feet long. It prefers full sun to partial shade in well-drained fertile soil. Prune each stem in winter back to 8-10 buds and prune in summer as needed to control over-long branches. Planting in less fertile soil will help control excessive spreading. A male and female plant is needed for fruit production. Propagation is by seed or stem cuttings. Seeds need a period of cold stratification for 1 to 2 months
The small fragrant flowers are greenish-white and appear in June. The green leaves are 3 to 5 inches long and appear in spring. The edible fruits are grape-sized, green, brownish or purple and smooth-skinned. The fruit doesn't need peeled making the entire fruit edible. They are similar in flavor to the larger fuzzy kiwi but sweeter and less acidic. Resistant to honey fungus.
Grow this vine on a sturdy structure as it can be heavy with fruits. It can be used for screening and in the edible or pollinator garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Its rapid growth can cause this plant to be somewhat weedy. A scent, similar to catnip can be detected by visiting cats who can damage the foliage and roots while digging. Root rot can be an issue.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Ananasnaya'
Popular fruiting variety, readily available. Also known as 'Anna'. - 'Audrey'
Cold hardy pollinizer for 'Natasha' and 'Tatyana' - 'Bingo'
Female, pineapple flavored fruit. - 'Chang Bai Giant'
May fruit without male, more abundant fruit when male present. - 'Dumbarton Oaks'
Female, discovered in an old public garden in D.C. Winter hardy. - 'Geneva 3'
Green flesh, tropical flavor. - 'Hardy Red'
Popular fruiting variety, readily available. Red flesh. - 'Issai'
Self-pollinating, lower growing cultivar. - 'Jumbo'
Female, larger fruit, begins producing fruit in 3rd or 4th year. - 'Ken's Red'
Male, used as pollinator. - 'Meader'
Male pollinizer for 'Geneva 3' and other varieties. - 'Michigan State'
Discovered on a fence at Michigan State Univ. - 'Natasha'
More cold hardy than other varieties. - 'Scarlet September Kiwi'
Produces red, sweet, oval-shaped kiwi fruits - 'Tatyana'
More cold hardy than other varieties.
- 'Ananasnaya'
- 'Ananasnaya', 'Audrey', 'Bingo', 'Chang Bai Giant', 'Dumbarton Oaks', 'Geneva 3', 'Hardy Red', 'Issai', 'Jumbo', 'Ken's Red', 'Meader', 'Michigan State', 'Natasha', 'Scarlet September Kiwi', 'Tatyana'
- Tags:












- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Ananasnaya'
Popular fruiting variety, readily available. Also known as 'Anna'. - 'Audrey'
Cold hardy pollinizer for 'Natasha' and 'Tatyana' - 'Bingo'
Female, pineapple flavored fruit. - 'Chang Bai Giant'
May fruit without male, more abundant fruit when male present. - 'Dumbarton Oaks'
Female, discovered in an old public garden in D.C. Winter hardy. - 'Geneva 3'
Green flesh, tropical flavor. - 'Hardy Red'
Popular fruiting variety, readily available. Red flesh. - 'Issai'
Self-pollinating, lower growing cultivar. - 'Jumbo'
Female, larger fruit, begins producing fruit in 3rd or 4th year. - 'Ken's Red'
Male, used as pollinator. - 'Meader'
Male pollinizer for 'Geneva 3' and other varieties. - 'Michigan State'
Discovered on a fence at Michigan State Univ. - 'Natasha'
More cold hardy than other varieties. - 'Scarlet September Kiwi'
Produces red, sweet, oval-shaped kiwi fruits - 'Tatyana'
More cold hardy than other varieties.
- 'Ananasnaya'
- 'Ananasnaya', 'Audrey', 'Bingo', 'Chang Bai Giant', 'Dumbarton Oaks', 'Geneva 3', 'Hardy Red', 'Issai', 'Jumbo', 'Ken's Red', 'Meader', 'Michigan State', 'Natasha', 'Scarlet September Kiwi', 'Tatyana'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Actinidia
- Species:
- arguta
- Family:
- Actinidiacea
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Make an excellent cover-up.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Russia, China and temperate Asia
- Wildlife Value:
- Bees frequent this plant.
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Easy to Grow
- Edible fruit
- Fragrance
- Screening
- Wind Break
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Edibility:
- The fruit is edible, the sap can be extracted to drink.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 25 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 7 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- A green, brownish or purple fruit about the size of a grape with smooth skin. The fruit is edible.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- 3/4 inch long greenish-white flowers appear in clusters of 1 to 7 flowers. Male flowers have dark purple anthers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The dark green leaves are up to 5" long have serrated margins and are elliptical to ovate in shape. Petioles are red.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- The bark is thin and smooth.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Patio
- Vertical Spaces
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators