About
Actinidia deliciosa is a robust, deciduous vine characterized by thick stems adorned with reddish-brown hairs. Its leaves are broadly ovate and heart-shaped, exhibiting a mid-green hue. During early summer, the plant produces clusters typically consisting of two to three creamy white blooms. The female specimens yield ovoid-oblong fruits with a bristly texture, displaying a greenish-brown coloration. This species has led to the development of several cultivated variants.
About the genus
Actinidia consists of robust, primarily deciduous climbing plants that twine as they grow. The leaves are typically simple and ovate, with some species exhibiting variegation. Female or hermaphrodite plants produce small cup-shaped flowers, which may yield edible fruits.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Climber Wall Shrub, Fruit Edible
- Habit
- Climbing
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 8-12 metres
- Spread
- 2.5-4 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Native to
- China
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun and a sheltered site. Prone to late frost and wind scorch damage. Male and female plants are needed for fruit set, unless a self-fertile cultivar is grown. See kiwi cultivation for further details
- Pruning
- When grown for fruit, pruning is carried out in winter and summer
- Propagation
- Propagate by softwood cuttings in the spring or by layering. Named cultivars can be grafted using whip and tongue grafting
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus and phytophthora root rot