Shrub · Actinidiaceae
Hardy Kiwi
Actinidia arguta
A tough little vine that rewards you with smooth, grape-sized berries eaten skin and all, never a peel in sight.
Full sun
Every 5–7 days
USDA 3–8
25–30 ft · 7.6–9.1 m
Overview
Think of hardy kiwi as the tougher, smaller-fruited relative of the fuzzy kiwi at the store, and one that is more forgiving than it looks. The berries are grape-sized with smooth, hairless skin, sweet and aromatic, and you simply pop them whole into your mouth. Best of all, the vine laughs off cold that would finish a regular kiwi, holding on through winters as low as -29°F (-34°C).
It does love to climb, and then some, so plan for that from day one. A settled vine can send out 30 feet (about 9 meters) of growth and grow heavy enough to drag down a flimsy support, which is why it deserves a solid arbor or T-bar trellis. That same eagerness has earned it an invasive flag in parts of the northeastern US, so keep it away from wild ground and check your local rules first, and you will be fine.
The one thing that trips up new growers is fruit set, and it is easy to get right once you know it. Hardy kiwi is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate plants, so you need at least one male to pollinate your females. Give it a sunny, sheltered corner, a strong frame to climb, and a couple of patient years, and it will thank you with a hefty late-summer crop.
Care
The short version: give it full sun and rich, well-drained soil kept evenly moist, on a trellis you build heavier than you think you need. Plant a male beside your females, prune firmly in winter, and allow it a few years to settle in before that first real crop.
Light
Hardy kiwi fruits best in full sun, which ripens the berries and fuels all that heavy growth. It will happily take partial shade if that is what you have, just expect a lighter crop. A warm, sheltered corner also gives the early shoots a little shelter from late frost.
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist, above all while the vine is settling in and while it is carrying fruit, which usually means watering every 5 to 7 days. Water deeply rather than often, and you will do it a real favor. The one rule that trumps the rest is drainage, since soggy ground invites root rot.
Soil
Give it fertile, well-drained loam rich in organic matter, though it is easygoing enough to take clay, loam, or sand. It leans to the acidic side, around pH 5.0 to 6.5. Drainage matters more than texture, so work in some compost and steer clear of spots where water sits.
Temperature
This is a genuinely cold-hardy vine, riding out winter lows near -29°F (-34°C) and summer heat up to about 86°F (30°C). Its soft spot is timing rather than cold itself, since a late spring frost can burn the tender new shoots once the vine has leafed out.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity in the 40% to 70% range suits it just fine, so this is one number you can stop worrying about. Good airflow around the trellis counts for more, keeping the leafy canopy from staying damp.
Feeding
Feed with a balanced complete fertilizer through spring and early summer while the vine is growing hard. Go easy on the nitrogen, though. Too much of it pushes leafy growth at the cost of fruit, which is the last thing you want from a vine this eager.
Pruning
Hardy kiwi does need real pruning to stay productive and within bounds, and it forgives a firm hand. In winter, cut each fruiting stem back to 8 to 10 buds. When summer comes, shorten the long, vigorous shoots again and keep the whole vine trained snug against its trellis.
Repotting
This is an in-ground plant, meant for a trellis rather than a pot, so it is rarely repotted. If you do begin one in a container, move it on before the roots start to circle, stall, or dry out unusually fast, then settle it into the ground.
Size & spacing
Plan generously, because this is a big vine. It stretches 25 to 30 feet (7.5 to 9 m) long and spreads 7 to 20 feet (2.1 to 6 m) wide, so give it a sturdy, dedicated frame and plenty of room to roam.
When to plant
Hardy kiwi follows the seasons closely, and once you learn its rhythm it is easy to plan for. Start seed in late winter after a good cold spell, move young plants out in spring once hard frost is behind you, then watch for fragrant flowers around June and grape-sized fruit ripening from late summer into fall.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: Late winter (Feb-Mar) after 30-60 days cold stratification of seed
- Plant: Spring, after danger of hard frost has passed
- Harvest: Fragrant greenish-white flowers in late spring (around June); grape-sized fruit ripens late summer into fall (Sep-Oct)
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
Nearly every hardy kiwi worry comes down to one of three things: no fruit, wet feet, or a late frost. Read the early signs below and you will quickly know which one is in front of you. Match the symptom to its fix and act before it costs you a whole season.
Wilting and yellow leaves where the ground stays wet
If your vine droops and yellows even though the soil is far from dry, don't panic, because the cause is usually clear. Ground that never drains smothers the roots and opens the door to root rot, and you will see wilting, yellowing, and slow dieback follow. Gently lift a root and check: rotted ones feel brown and mushy instead of firm and white. Ease off the watering and improve drainage, or shift the vine to a raised, free-draining spot, and it can recover.
Fix:
- Improve drainage or move to a raised, well-drained site
- Reduce watering frequency
Lots of leaves but the fruit never comes
Take heart, because this one is almost always fixable. Hardy kiwi is dioecious, which simply means a female vine needs a male growing near her, and a lone plant, however happy it looks, will not fruit by itself. Young vines can also test your patience, taking 3 to 5 years before their first crop. Set out one male for every 6 to 8 females, keep the path to the flowers open for bees, and give the plant the time it needs.
Fix:
- Plant at least one male per 6-8 females
- Be patient; vines fruit only after several years of growth
- Ensure bees and other pollinators can reach the flowers
Fresh spring shoots blacken and flop over
This looks alarming but the vine is tougher than it seems. Hardy kiwi wakes early, so a late spring frost can catch the soft new shoots overnight and blacken them until they wilt and fold. Most of the time it simply resprouts, so trim away the dead growth and let it try again. Choosing a spot clear of low frost pockets helps, and a cover thrown over the vine when a cold snap is forecast keeps the new growth safe.
Fix:
- Prune out blackened growth; vines usually resprout
- Cover or protect vines when late frost threatens
Toxicity
Here is some reassuring news for pet owners: hardy kiwi is not toxic to cats, dogs, or anyone else in the household. The fruit is grown to be eaten, and the rest of the plant will not poison an animal that takes a nibble. The one quirk worth knowing is that cats may be drawn to the foliage the way they are to catnip or silver vine, which is harmless attraction and nothing to fear.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
You can relax around cats, because hardy kiwi is safe and the fruit will not poison them. The surprise runs the other way: much like silver vine, the leaves can pull a cat in the way catnip does, so yours might roll on the vine or nibble a young stem, which does no harm beyond the odd chewed shoot.
Dogs None
No need to worry about dogs at all. One that grabs a few grape-sized berries will be perfectly fine, though gulping down a whole heap of any unfamiliar fruit could bring a brief, passing bout of loose stool.
Horses Safe
Rest easy with horses nearby, since neither the leaves nor the fruit carry anything that would harm them if they graze close to the vine.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits are safe here too. A little of the soft fruit makes a lovely now-and-then treat, though the bulk of their diet should still be hay and greens rather than sweet kiwi.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can browse the leaves and any fallen fruit with nothing to fear from this plant.
Birds Safe
Birds are welcome to the ripe berries with no ill effect, and they even lend a hand by scattering the seed, which is part of why the vine travels so easily.
People Safe
The smooth-skinned fruit is meant to be eaten whole like a grape, with no peeling needed, and it is entirely safe for children and grown-ups alike.
Fruit is safe if a pet nibbles a few; very large amounts of any novel fruit may cause mild, temporary stomach upset.
Varieties
A small set of named cultivars covers most home plantings, divided between fruiting females and the males grown purely to pollinate them. These are the ones worth learning by name as you start out.
Ananasnaya (Anna)
A well-loved, heavy-cropping female that growers reach for because of its sweet, aromatic fruit.
Issai
A partly self-fertile female that can manage a little fruit even with no separate male vine beside it.
Geneva
An early-ripening female that crops generously and lets you enjoy the harvest sooner.
Meader Male
A male pollenizer that gives no fruit of its own and is there simply to pollinate the females nearby.
Companions
Hardy kiwi grows best next to a male pollenizer and the bees that work its flowers, and worst when left to climb into trees and shrubs it can smother.
Plant near
Male Actinidia arguta cultivar: Required pollenizer; without a male nearby, female vines set no fruit.
Pollinator-attracting flowers: Bees and other pollinators improve fruit set on the kiwi flowers.
Keep apart
Trees and shrubs: The vigorous vine can climb and smother woody plants; keep it on a dedicated sturdy trellis.
How to propagate
There are several friendly ways to make more hardy kiwi, though only some keep the sex and quality of the parent plant. Choose the one that suits whether you need a known cultivar or simply more plants to fill a fence.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Softwood cuttings in early to mid summer · About 6-10 weeks to root
If you want a copy that stays true to a named male or female, cuttings are your most dependable friend. Take softwood cuttings in early to mid summer and they root in about 6 to 10 weeks, and because you already know the sex, you can count on fruit later.
SeedModerate
Sow in late winter after 30-60 days of cold stratification · Germinates in weeks; years to reach fruiting
Seed is more of a surprise than a sure thing. Sow in late winter after 30 to 60 days of cold stratification and the seedlings pop up within weeks, but they grow up varied and of unknown sex until they finally flower years on, so you cannot tell male from female before that.
LayeringEasy
Spring to summer · Roots within one season
Layering is the gentle, forgiving route. Pin a low cane down onto the soil any time from spring through summer and it will root within a single season, after which you can cut it free and move your new plant.
GraftingDemanding
Late winter to early spring · Takes within one growing season
Grafting asks the most of you, and it is mainly for setting a chosen cultivar onto vigorous rootstock. Done in late winter to early spring, a graft that takes will take within one growing season.
Myths
Since cats are drawn to the plant the way they are to catnip, its fruit must be dangerous for pets to eat.
It is true that cats can be drawn to Actinidia foliage, since silver vine belongs to the same genus, but a pull toward the plant is not the same as being poisoned by it. The smooth-skinned, grape-sized fruit is edible and safe for both cats and dogs.
One hardy kiwi plant, all by itself, will happily set fruit.
Because most hardy kiwis are dioecious, you will need a male and a female together, about one male for every 6 to 8 females, before you see any crop. The kind exception is a partly self-fertile type like Issai, which can set at least a little fruit on its own.
You will need to peel hardy kiwi just as you peel the fuzzy kind.
Its skin is smooth and hairless, a world away from the fuzzy kiwi at the store. You eat the whole berry like a grape, skin and all.