Actinidia ‘Issai’ Kiwi

Daunted by the rampant growth of the kiwi vine, or simply unwilling to commit so much precious garden space to one plant? Let Actinidia ‘Issai’ Kiwi bring the beauty and flavor of kiwi fruit to your garden without the giant size. This mini-Kiwi has a restrained habit, needs no pollinator, and sets the most delicious miniature fruit we have ever tasted. In the garden or even in containers, you will find Actinidia ‘Issai’ Kiwi easy and rewarding.

Reaching just 12 to 20 feet long, Actinidia ‘Issai’ Kiwi is much less vigorous than the species—it grows easily but won’t take over the garden. A twining climber, it offers glossy foliage, fragrant 1-inch white blooms in early summer, and a generous harvest of 1- to 1¾-inch fruit in mid-fall. If you’ve got at least 150 frost-free days each year, you can enjoy big harvests beginning just the second season after planting.

Actinidia ‘Issai’ Kiwi has a really remarkable flavor, much sweeter and more succulent than the “fuzzy” kiwis found in most stores. The fruit is smooth, green, and just a little soft when fully ripe. If your season is short, pick the fruit a bit early and let it ripen in a paper bag with apples or pears. It’s simple to harvest and always delicious.

Best of all, Actinidia ‘Issai’ Kiwi is self-fertile, so you need plant only one. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, and prefers good soil on the acidic side. Do not fertilize this vine too heavily; this can trigger lush foliage growth but poor flowering and fruiting. Prune it as needed in late fall or early winter, or leave it be—this Japanese cultivar is adaptable.

Actinidia ‘Issai’ Kiwi is perfect for containers, particularly in the shorter seasons of zones 4 and 5. It fruits somewhat late, making it a great choice for southern climates as well. You simply cannot go wrong with this delightful mini kiwi.