Kiwi is considered an exotic fruit with a peculiar sweet and sour taste. This plant can be grown both as an ornamental and fruiting plant. For the latter, a stable warm climate is needed, so large-fruited kiwi varieties grow in the subtropics.
Kiwi is the fruit of a very interesting plant called Chinese actinidia or gourmet actinidia. Kiwi got its name because it resembles the bird of the same name: the shape of the fruit is oval, and the skin is covered with a short soft fluff.
Where does kiwi grow?
The homeland of the kiwi is China. When this small green fruit appeared in Asian countries, it became known as the Chinese gooseberry. At the beginning of the twentieth century, as an ornamental plant, thermophilic actinidia began to be cultivated in New Zealand, and it did not disappoint its fans: it actively developed in a favorable island climate. Nowadays, kiwi grows in large quantities in Georgia, Abkhazia, Bulgaria on the border with Greece, Indonesia, Italy. Large-fruited varieties of this plant are grown in the Krasnodar Territory.
In the Far East of Russia, a relative of the Chinese actinidia is growing - actinidia kolomikta. It is of undoubted value, like an ornamental vine, but its fruits are sour. This tree is unusually beautiful during flowering, and its leaves are able to change color depending on the intensity of light and the angle of incidence of the rays.
Kiwi plant
The tree on which the kiwi grows belongs to the species of vines. Actinidia is a plant with tree-like flexible branches that can reach 20-25 m in length. For a favorable development, she needs a support that could support the considerable weight of the plant. All varieties of this vine differ in one feature: their leaves are capable of changing their color several times during the season. They can be whitish, pink and pink-raspberry, dark and light green.
Kiwis grow in clusters. At the beginning of ripening, the fruits are green, but over time they acquire a brown color and are covered with fluff. But the middle of the fruit remains green. The flesh of kiwi is mostly sweet and sour, with slight variations in taste in one direction or another, depending on the type of plant.
There are varieties in which the fruits reach a weight of 130 g. In conditions other than subtropics, it is difficult to grow such types of actinidia, therefore, in countries with a continental climate, many species of vines bear fruit poorly. In most climatic zones, it is advisable to grow kiwi only as an ornamental plant. These trees love well-lit areas, fertile, drained soil, and places that provide natural protection from the wind. Kiwi can also be grown at home. For this purpose, both seeds and vegetative shoots can be used.
