Purple hardy kiwi
Actinidia purpurea

Family: Actinidiaceae

What it is like

Actinidia purpurea is a deciduous Climber growing to 10 m (32ft 10in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in June, and the seeds ripen in November. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Bees, insects. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 10

Where it is found

Mountain forests, thickets, streamsides and moist places at elevations of 700 - 3600 metres.

E. Asia - W. China

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, USA.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet. The fruit is up to 2.5cm long. It contains a number of small seeds, but these are easily eaten with the fruit.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 1

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Prefers a sound loamy neutral soil. Succeeds in semi-shade but full sun is best for fruit production. Prefers a sheltered position. Dormant plants are very hardy but young spring growth is susceptible to frost damage. Fruits are formed on second year wood and also on fruit spurs on older wood, any pruning is best carried out in the winter. This is a climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around branches etc. This species is possibly no more than a form of A. arguta, differing in its longer narrower leaves. It is treated as a synonym of A, arguta in the draft Flora of China. At least one named variety has been developed for its edible fruit. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. Woody. Growth habit is a single or multiple shooting vine from a crown. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is branching: a heart root, dividing from the crown into several primary roots going down and out .

Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. It is probably best if the seed is given 3 months stratification, either sow it in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in November or as soon as it is received. Fresh seed germinates in 2 - 3 months at 10°c, stored seed can take longer. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. When the plants are 30cm or more tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Most seedlings are male. The seedlings are subject to damping off, they must be kept well ventilated. Cuttings of softwood as soon as ready in spring in a frame. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very high percentage. Cuttings of ripe wood, October/November in a frame.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.

Habit: Climber

Hardiness: 5-9

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Purple Chinese gooseberry,

Synonyms

A. melanandra latifolia. E.Pritz. ex Diels. A. rufa arguta. Dunn. A. rufa typica. Dunn. A. charta