Actinidia chinensis

Actinidia chinensis

Actinidia chinensis is a vigorous climber native to China.

It reaches up to about 10 meters in length.

The leaves are large, elliptical or rounded.

The flowers are cream or cream-white, slightly fragrant, 3-4 cm in diameter, developing in May and June.

The fruit is a large, edible berry, 3-5 cm long, with brown, often hairy skin.

It is a dioecious plant, meaning that plants of both sexes must be planted next to each other for fruit to form.

Actinidia chinensis prefers fertile, well-drained, fresh, and slightly acidic soil. It does not tolerate alkaline soils (above pH 7), which cause leaf chlorosis.

It prefers a warm, wind-sheltered location with full sun or light shade.