Photo of Issai Hardy Kiwi flower, foliage by Qwert1234

Photo by Qwert1234

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.

Show all photos

Buy Issai Hardy Kiwi

Scientific Name: Actinidia arguta 'Issai'

Also Known As

  • Actinia 'Issia'

Plant type

perennial, vine, fruit / vegetable

size

  • H: 12'-40'
  • W: 6'-40'

planting zones

  • 5a-10b

3" pot | $16

Ships USPS, based on weight/location

Fewer than 20 at Secret Garden Growers

More Options

Issai Hardy Kiwi plant details

Issai Hardy Kiwi is a fast-growing broadleaf deciduous perennial fruit / vegetable or vine with green foliage. In spring cream and white flowers emerge followed by green fruit. Attracts bees making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - dappled shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in average, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and humidity tolerant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Issai Hardy Kiwi

Plant type: perennial fruit / vegetable or vine
Plant family: actinidiaceae, passifloraceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 6 FT - 40 FT - wide, 12 FT - 40 FT - tall
Flowers: cream and white blooms in spring
Uses: compact, culinary, dwarf, edible, espalier, fragrant, self-fertile, trellis

GROWING CONDITIONS for Issai Hardy Kiwi

USDA Zones: 5a - 10b
Sun exposure: sun - dappled shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: heat and humidity
Soil needs: average, rich and well-drained

We independently publish plant data to search multiple nurseries at once. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases when you buy through our links.

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

A self-fruitful variety (separate male and female plants aren?t required for its small fig-like fruits) of the popular hardy kiwi, this vigorous vine is a fine ornamental as well. S/M
An extremely Hardy Kiwi with restrained growth that produces lots of non-hairy 1 ½” long fruits that can be eaten skins and all...and it’s attractive! Deciduous and fast growing, usually only 12-15’, needs some support so give it a trellis, fence or arbor. Needs at least a full half day sun for good fruiting, average soil, medium moisture. Easy to grow and delicious fruits to enjoy Sept-Oct. The deer have not bothered ours.  USDA Zone 3-9  3" pot
'Issai' is a new self-pollinating hardy Kiwi-berry variety which does not need a male pollinating plant like other kiwi varieties. This plant is also smaller in stature than other varieties, allowing it to be grown long term in a container. Both the smaller size and fact that only one plant is necessary rather than two for production means that small yard gardeners can now enjoy hardy kiwi fruit as well!
Although 'Issai' will produce fruit without a male plant to pollinate it, your plant will produce higher yields with a male. Find more information about Hardy Male Arguta Pollinator.

The hardy vine kiwi produces bunches of tiny, fuzzless kiwis even in cold climates. After the kiwis ripen in the fall, they stay good for a long time on the vine or can be harvested and stored for a month or more. Additionally, the A. arguta kiwis tend to be less acidic than regular kiwis and are far easier on your tongue!

This cultivar from Japan is a hybrid of Actinidia arguta. It is distinctly different in appearance and behavior from other kiwi A self-pollinator, it bears long fruit to 1 3/4" in length. Often bears fruit the year after planting. Hardy to about -15°F, but sometimes injured at higher temperatures. Kiwi Actinia Issia kiwifruit, Kiwi Actinia Issia soil requirements and planting instructions, Mix together the following: 60 percent potting soil; 20 percent peat moss; 20 percent coarse sand and a handful of perlite. Place this mixture in a pots, beds or garden and plant your Kiwi Actinia Issia. When planting Kiwi Actinia Issia in the landscape plant at 4' apart on a sturdy trellis. Proper site preparation ensures years of growth and once established they will not require weed control. Strong growth will Soil Ph should be around 6.0-7.0 light conditions, When making a site selection keep your plant in an area that has medium or full light. This species of Kiwi Actinia Issia is considered hardy at zones 8b-10 Kiwi Actinia , If using drip irrigation allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Do not over water. Kiwi Actinia are not drought tolerant. Produces small white flowers in the spring spring followed by fruit. blooms are white. Kiwi Actinia Issia, this mild feeder loves an organic fertilizer N-P-K ratio or 5-5-5 or lower. Kiwi Actinia Issia pests and disease, Pests or diseases are few and far between. Kiwi Actinia Issia are also refered to as goose Berry, Macaque peach, Macaque pear, Vine pear, Sunny peach, Wood berry, Hairy bush fruit, Unusual fruit, wonder fruit and Vine berry,. Kiwi Actinia Issia are generally grown from shoots, seeds and tissue culture. There are several different varieties of Actinia.
The smooth skinned green fruit are the size of grapes and taste like a sweet tropical kiwi without the fuzzy skin. But this hardy kiwi has the added benefit of being able to set fruit without a cross-pollinator so you only need one plant making it ideal for small gardens or landscapes. 'Issai' is a more compact vine than some of the other hardy kiwis. Grow in full sun with a trellis or other support for it to ramble on. Flowers and fruits form on last year's growth. Hardy to zone 4.
Issai' is self-fertile hardy kiwi that does not require a pollinator. Sweet green fruits to 1 3/4 inches. Actinidia arguta produce fragrant greenish white flowers followed by small, grape-sized fruit with smooth skin with a taste similar to but often sweeter than the large, fuzzy kiwis found in grocery stores which come from Actinidia deliciosa. A mature vine can produce 50-100 pounds of fruit per year. Harvest in fall.
Issai is a selection known for being completely self fertile so just 1 plant is needed to enjoy the fruit which is packed with vitamin C and other goodies. Makes a great jam! The vine is easy and vigorous with a huge potential at maturity along with beautiful bark on the older stems and trunk. Best in full sun to ripen fruit properly. Self Fertile Hardy Kiwi. Japan, Korea.
If you've ever dreamed of growing your own Kiwi fruit, well now many of you can. 'Issai' is a Vigorous dwarf (12' vs. 100'), self-pollinating so you don't need a male although if you have a male such as the one below, it will probably increase fruit production. It bears tasty, smooth-skinned 1" to 1.75" fruit as a young plant, often the first year! And even if it didn't have fruit, it's a garden worthy vine for the foliage alone. Inconspicuous but fragrant blooms. It's probably a hybrid with A. arguta rather than a cultivar. While hardy in zone 5, fruit ripens late so the growing season might not always be long enough, depending on the year. Zone 6-10 are fine.

By: Lazy S'S Farm Nursery

Large, sweet & delicious green fruit. Self-fruitful, will produce more and larger crops with pollinator
This self-pollinating variety comes to us from Japan. With a compact growth habit, it is excellent for the gardener with limited space. Bears large, sweet fruit, sometimes the first year after planting.

By: Greer Gardens Inc.

This vine produces tasty, 1” fruit that has smooth skin. It is self-pollinating, so having a male vine around is not necessary. This variety often bears the first year after planting, too. In its native habitat of Asia, Actinidia arguta can grow up trees to 100’ high. ‘Issai’ is much more polite, growing to around 12’ high. It prefers sun to part shade, average water & well-drained soil. The flowers are fragrant but inconspicuous. I think this vine is worth growing for its nice foliage alone. The fruits are an added bonus!

Gardening facts about Issai Hardy Kiwi plant

How to Grow Issai Hardy Kiwi

  • Sun Exposure

    • sun - dappled shade
  • Water Needs

    • even moisture - regular
  • Soil Needs

    • average
    • well-drained
    • rich
  • Special Situation

    • heat tolerant
    • humidity tolerant

Features

  • Flower Color

    • white
    • cream
  • Fruit

    • green
  • Flower Season

    • spring
  • Foliage Season

    • deciduous
  • Foliage Color

    • green
  • Wildlife

    • bees
Mailing List
Sign Up for updates on new plant arrivals and deals

© 2010—2024 Plant Lust, LLC All Rights Reserved