Q: I recently purchased a pair of hardy kiwi, that have a smooth skin, which appealed to me for my experiment in making jam from them. How are they grown?

A: Hardy kiwi is different from the fuzzy kiwifruit, Actinidia deliciosa, commonly available at groceries. In fact, there are two kiwi vines that are completely hardy here. Actinidia arguta has hairless fruit about the size of a grape. ‘Issai’ and ‘Anansnaya’ are sold by mail order nurseries for garden planting. A. kolomikta, ‘Arctic Beauty’ kiwi, is grown as an ornamental vine for its pink and white variegated younger leaves. A. kolomikta is particularly cold-hardy, with small but sweet fruit, very rich in vitamin C.

Kiwi Fruit

Kiwi Comparisons