hardy kiwi (actinidia arguta)

hardy kiwi (actinidia arguta) is one of the great underused fruits of the northern garden: an extraordinarily vigorous, long-lived vine capable of producing heavy crops of smooth-skinned, grape-sized kiwis in climates far colder than conventional fuzzy kiwi can tolerate.

the fruit is excellent. hardy kiwis are eaten whole, skin and all, and when fully ripe become intensely sweet, juicy, and aromatic. the flavor is recognizably kiwi but richer than the supermarket fruit many people are accustomed to, with tropical, berry, pineapple, and honeyed notes depending on cultivar and ripeness. mature vines can produce tremendous crops, with clusters of fruit hanging throughout the canopy in late summer and fall.

available cultivars

anna / ananasnaya — one of the classic hardy kiwi cultivars and an excellent choice for northern growers. anna is a vigorous female vine producing abundant, sweet, aromatic fruit, sometimes developing an attractive reddish blush in the sun. requires a compatible male vine for pollination.

prolific — an early-ripening, self-fertile hardy kiwi selected for reliable fruit production without requiring a separate male vine. fruit is medium to large for a hardy kiwi, sweet and flavorful, and can develop reddish to violet coloration in the skin and flesh when ripe. although capable of setting fruit alone, it can also be grown alongside other hardy kiwis, and will produce higher yields with a pollinator.

meader male — a cold-hardy male actinidia arguta