Anna ('Ananasnaja') Hardy Kiwi (Female)

Anna (‘Ananasnaya’) is a vigorous and productive female hardy kiwi prized for its sweet, aromatic, smooth-skinned green fruit that can be eaten whole. Its Russian name means "pineapple-like," a reference to its rich, fruity flavour, which has traditionally been compared to ripe pineapple. Anna is a reliable, widely grown variety that produces generous crops of flavourful fruit. As a female cultivar, producing only female flowers, it requires cross-pollination with a male hardy kiwi for fruit production.

Hardy kiwis are an attractive, climbing, deciduous vine that grows at a fast rate and produces edible kiwis the size of large grapes. The fruit of hardy kiwis are often sweeter and more flavourful than fuzzy kiwis. Hardy kiwi fruit have a thin, smooth (no fuzz!), edible skin, so you can eat the whole thing without peeling. 

Hardy kiwis are climbing vines that will require a support structure, such as a fence, trellis or arbour. They grow similarly to grape vines. 

As the name suggests, "hardy" kiwis are incredibly cold hardy. These vines can grow outdoors all year and are able to survive temperatures down to -30ºC.

Common names: Anna Hardy Kiwi, Ananasnaja Hardy Kiwi, Kiwiberry, Chinese gooseberry

Edible: Fruit
Harvest timing: Mid-season (September-October)

Scientific name: Actinidia arguta 'Ananasnaja' 
Light requirements: Full sun
Full-grown size: 20-30' long vine (unpruned). Smaller with annual pruning but plan to give it at least 8'.
Hardiness: Zone 4
Pollination: This is cultivar produces only female flowers, which require cross-pollination with a separate male hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta).
Wildlife: Flowers attract many bees.
Origin: Species is native to China, Korea, Japan, and the Russian Far East. Cultivar is a selection from Russia.
Noteworthy: Widely-grown, highly-productive female cultivar with very flavourful fruit.