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Actinidia chinensis

Authority
Family	Magnoliopsida:Dilleniidae:Ericales:Actinidiaceae
Synonyms
Common names	Chinese gooseberry, Kiwifruit
Editor
Ecocrop code	889

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A deciduous and dioecious vine climbing to a height of 7-8 m. Under cultivation it is often grown on trellises about 1.8 m tall. The fruit, which is a matured ovary, is about the size of a chicken egg. It has a greenish brown skin densely covered with short hairs. The juicy flesh is fresh green and contains many small black edible seeds. USES The fruits are eaten fresh or used in jams and preserves. The plant is also used as an ornamental. KILLING T -1.5°C in the growing period. Prolonged periods below -9°C, or -10°C to -15°C for one hour can damage or kill dormant plants. GROWING PERIOD Perennial. Require 3 years to first bearing for cuttings, 4-6 years to first bearing for seedlings, and come into full bearing after 8-10 years. The plant has a long life and can crop heavily for many years. Some 40 year-old vines are still productive in New Zealand. COMMON NAMES Kiwi, Yang tao, Chinese-grooseberry, Ichang gooseberry, Yangtze berry, Mao-erh-tao, Yang tao. FURTHER INF Scientific synonym: A. chinensis. Kiwi is native of the southern part of Central China, where the plants grow naturally along the forest edges of the Yangtze Vally. Humidity should be moderate to high, an average of 50-70% is very suitable. Hail and strong winds may damage the crop. Kiwi requires some winter cold (300 to 500 hours below 7°C). Pollen is transferred by insects, chiefly bees. The fruit yield of 10 year old vines in full bearing may be 17-22 t/ha.
Sources
SOURCES Roecklein J 1987 pp 222 [USE, DRA, FER, LIG] Samson J 1986 pp 289-291 [KTMP, LIMIT, TEMP, RAIN, DRA, DEP, PH] Hackett C 1982 pp 76 [FER, PHO, DEP, PH, TEXT, TEMP] Duke J 1975 pp 5 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Sims D (pers. comm.) Hartmann T 1981 pp 616-617 [DEP, DRA, FER, LIMITS, KTMP]