'Issai' hardy kiwi is a compact, self-fertile variety valued for its ability to produce sweet, smooth-skinned fruit without the need for a separate male pollinator. The grape-sized kiwis ripen in late summer to early fall and have a pleasant, mildly sweet flavour. 'Issai' is less vigorous than most hardy kiwis, making it well suited to small gardens, containers, and trellises, while still offering good cold hardiness and dependable crops in cooler climates.
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 full-size fuzzy kiwis. Hardy kiwi fruit have a thin, edible, smooth skin (no fuzz!), so you can eat the whole thing, without peeling. The variety 'Prolific' has green fruit with a reddish-purple blush on the skin.
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.
Expect 10-20 pounds of fruit per year from a mature, well-pruned 'Issai' hardy kiwi vine.
Common names: Hardy kiwi, kiwiberry, Issai kiwi, Chinese gooseberry
Edible: Fruit
Harvest timing: late summer to early fall
Scientific name: Actinidia arguta 'Issai'
Light requirements: Full sun, partial shade
Full-grown size: 10-15' long vine, (6-8' wide canopy if covering a support structure)
Hardiness: Zone 4
Pollination: Self-fertile (doesn’t need separate male and female plants), but cross-pollination increases yields.
Wildlife: Flowers attract bees.
Origin: Japan
Noteworthy: Doesn't require separate male and female plants to produce fruit. Very cold tolerant. Sweeter than fuzzy kiwis.
