Actinidia arguta 'ISSAI' mini-kiwi
size/type
vine,vine
usual height
3-6m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
flowers
less showy but noticeable
blooming time
May-June
location
full sun
soil type
acidic (peaty) to neutral
USDA zone (lowest)
4 (down to -34°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Description of the plant:
Issai is a self-fertile variety of the so-called mini-kiwi. This means that unlike the species it does not need a male and a female plant to produce fruit. Apart from tasty fruit it is a nice plant, too, with deep green leaves and scented flowers in June.It is a vine that is less vigorous that the species. It bears smooth-skinned fruit of the same taste and shape like kiwi, only smaller: 4-5 cm. They are green and ripen gradually from end September until end October. They are the sweetest when picked after they have softened a little. You can also pick up harder fruit, put in a bag along with other fruit producing ethylene (e.g. apples) and keep them at room temperature. They will ripen up in a few days. Thanks to its smaller size they get much sweeter than its larger-fruited relative imported from southern counties. This variety usually fruits the second year after planting.
Pruning is best done in late winter or late summer to prevent from bleeding sap. Kiwi needs a sunny and warm site with semi-fertile, acidic, fresh soil. Do not over-fertilize: such plants flower very reluctantly. This variety was bred to withstand frosts of -34 °C (USDA zone 4) and allegedly survives down to -40 °C.
Last update 16-02-2008; 22-03-2021
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GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
