setose kiwi

Photo: 葉子 — CC0 · source

Survives zone 8 through 9

Harvest calendar

Best planted in early spring after your last frost, or in fall before the ground freezes, depending on your climate.

Taxonomic history worth knowing: described in 1952 as a variety, raised to full species rank in 1985, then reverted to Actinidia chinensis var. setosa by the 2007 Flora of China revision — the name current authorities (POWO) use. A narrow endemic to Taiwan's high-altitude mountains (the type specimen was collected on Alishan in 1908); fuzzy-skinned fruit like commercial kiwifruit, described as sweeter, locally nicknamed 'Taiwan peach'. Being evaluated by breeders as potential parent material rather than grown as an established crop itself. Care: winter protection — mulch, fleece, or a warm wall.

Hardiness

Zone 8–9

Habit

Vine

Edible part

Fruit

Ripens

Autumn

Mature size

Vine 6–10 m; strong trellis

Light

Full sun

Soil pH

5.0–6.5 (slightly acid)

Environment

Subtropical montane

Native range

Endemic to Taiwan's high-altitude mountains

Status

Wild

Years to fruit

3–5 yrs

Growth speed

Very fast — several metres of new growth a season on an established vine

Spacing

400 cm (157 in) apart — about 16 m² (172 sq ft) per plant

Leaf shape

Rough, bristly-textured on the upper surface, with rusty bristly hairs on young branchlets and leaf stalks.

Root system

Thick, fleshy and shallow, densest in the top 30–60 cm and spreading sideways rather than down. This is the plant's weak point: fleshy roots plus a very high transpiration rate make it exceptionally intolerant of waterlogging, and saturated soil is exactly what Phytophthora crown and root rot needs. Plant on a slope or a raised bed, never in a hollow.

Fruit description

Fuzzy-skinned, subglobose to ellipsoidal fruit, densely bristly-haired — earning it the nickname "Taiwan peach" for its fuzz, though sized closer to a berry; tastes like familiar grocery-store kiwifruit but somewhat sweeter.

Propagation

Semi-ripe or softwood cuttings under mist, or grafting for named cultivars. Seed germinates readily but is close to useless for a crop: sex is not visible until the vine first flowers, several years on, so a seedling batch is a lottery of males and females.

Pollination

DIOECIOUS — needs male and female plants

The edible parts listed above are a starting point, not a field guide. Identify a plant with certainty — ideally against a local authority — before eating any part of it, and read the full disclaimer. Spotted something wrong? Report it.