The kiwi is a small fruit (approximately the size and shape of a large hen’s egg) with a brown, hairy skin. Its flesh is bright green, with tiny, black, edible seeds arranged in circular rows.
The fruit has a mild, sweet flavor, which has variously been described as resembling citrus, melon, and strawberry, with a hint of pineapple.
The most common variety of kiwi grown commercially is the Hayward, a domestic variety with little cold tolerance but comparatively large size, full flavor, and excellent keeping quality.
The Actinidia arguta and Actinidia kolomikta varieties are more winter hardy than Actinidia deliciosa. However, despite sweeter taste and superior hardiness, these varieties have not been commercially successful because of smaller size, softer consistency, and shorter shelf life.
Origin and botanical facts
Kiwi originated in China’s Yangtze River Valley, where its vines grow wild on trees and bushes (thus its original English name of “Chinese gooseberry”). Introduced to New Zealand in the early 1900s, the fruit got its common name from its resemblance to the small, brown, fuzzy-looking native bird.
The fruit was introduced to the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States about the same time. Widespread planting began in the 1960s in California, where kiwi is now a major commercial crop. Kiwi also is supplied by China and South Africa.
Kiwi grows on woody, deciduous vines with large, thick leaves. Strong trellising is necessary to support the size and weight of the plant when it is heavy with fruit.
The plants are dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers develop on different plants. Thus, both male and female plants are needed for pollination. The male plant does not produce fruit but is sometimes used as a landscape decoration because of its attractive flowers.
Kiwi is propagated by seeds, cuttings, and grafting. Plants grown from cuttings or grafting take 1 year to produce fruit, whereas vines propagated from seeds need more time to mature and will produce fruit only after 2 to 3 years.
The plants require a long, frost-free growing season of about 220 days for fruit ripening. In California, the vines leaf in mid to late March and flower in May.
Although the fruit may achieve full size in midsummer, it is not sufficiently ripe for picking until late October or early November. If temperatures fall below 29° Fahrenheit between leafing and harvesting, the leaves, blossoms, and fruit will be damaged.
Uses
When selecting ripe kiwi, look for those that are plump and slightly soft. Unripe kiwi can be ripened in 2 to 3 days by placing in a paper bag with a ripe apple and leaving at room temperature.
Kiwi can be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to 2 weeks. Kiwi can be peeled and eaten fresh, cooked, frozen, or canned. Its juice can be consumed alone or in combination with other beverages.
Kiwi also contains enzymes that are similar to papain, an enzyme in the juice of unripe papayas which digests protein and can be used as a meat tenderizer.
Nutrient composition
Kiwi is high in vitamin C and a good source of fiber
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