Actinidia arguta 'Jumbo' (female)

Jumbo Kiwi Berry plant (Actinidia arguta 'Jumbo') lives up to its name! Known for exceptionally large, sweet fruit, this vigorous vine will produce a bountiful crop for your garden. Individual kiwis weigh up to 30 g, and have an elongated shape (up to 5cm long and 3cm wide) with green skin and flesh inside. Compared to the fuzzy kiwi you may be familiar with in the grocery store, Jumbo Hardy Kiwi has a sweeter taste and a smooth, completely edible skin. With no need to peel and packed with vitamin C, these fruits make a quick and easy nutritious snack! Besides being eaten alone, kiwi fruit can be enjoyed in smoothies and yogurt bowls, or as a garnish on desserts such as cheesecake and flans.

The white, mildly fragrant flowers bloom in June and July. Jumbo Kiwi Berries can be harvested from late September to mid October. Growing to Zone 5a (-28 °C), ‘Jumbo’ is considered a very Hardy Kiwi. The foliage turns a beautiful golden-yellow in fall. As a deciduous vine, Jumbo hardy liwi vine will lose its leaves in entirety in winter.

This extremely fast-growing vine can also be grown for its foliage and requires strong support. It can be trained on a sturdy trellis or pergola, or along a fence for easy picking of fruit. Although this female hardy kiwi vine can be grown in partial shade, it does best and is most productive when in full sun with moist soil.

To produce fruit, you will need at least one male pollinator plant to set fruit for every 6-8 female Jumbo Kiwi plants. Actinidia arguta ‘Weiki’, Actinidia arguta ‘Meader’ or Actinidia arguta ‘Andrew’ are good choices for pollinator plants. Jumbo Kiwi Berry plant starts usually producing fruits in the third or fourth year after planting.