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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Hardiest Kiwi

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  • From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Hardiest Kiwi
  • Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 07:22:51 -0800

Title: Re: [NAFEX] Hardiest Kiwi
Things about A. kolomikta that you might want to know.  One is that it is a forest plant in it's native habitat and often doesn't do well in high light - needs to grow in at least partial shade.  Another is that it can be more of a shrub than a vine, or at least it often isn't nearly the rampant vine that arguta can be.  Finally, Japanese beetles LOVE it, and other Actinidias.  
   An excellent source of all hardy kiwis is Kiwi Korners.
=Lon Rombough



   Alot of gardening mail-order catalogs list Actinidia arguta as the "hardy kiwi".  It can only handle -25° F before it winterkills.  There is another kiwi that is hardier, Actinidia kolomitka that can take -50° F.  It tastes identical to the brown fuzzys, is only 30%  smaller than A. arguta, produces less invasive vines than its cousins and it ripens in August.  
   I bought my A. kolomitka from Oregon Exotics but I have seen it in (a few) other catalogs.

Jim Fruth
Pequot Lakes, MN
Zone 3



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