Actinidia deliciosa 'Belen' (male)

Belen Kiwi plant (Actinidia deliciosa 'Belen') is a male fuzzy kiwi, and an essential pollinator for female fuzzy kiwi varieties. It is well-suited to pollinate 'Hayward', and particularly well-suited to pollinate 'Kiwi Wonder' and 'Sorelli'. Belen Male Fuzzy Kiwi can pollinate up to 8 female Fuzzy kiwi plants nearby. It will also improve fruit yield of the self-fertile female cultivars 'Jenny' and 'SOLLISIMO'. Belen Kiwi Vine will not produce fruit itself.

The creamy white flowers will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators to your garden. The young stems of this kiwi vine are hairy and reddish in colour. It has dense green foliage, which turns yellow in the autumn. This kiwifruit plant can create significant shade, adding another dimension to its use in the garden.

Train Belen Kiwi Plants on a solid support such as an arbour, pergola, trellis, etc. Choose a location sheltered from the wind, preferably near a wall or a fence.  Young plants need some protection until they mature into woody vines. For gardeners living in areas colder than zone 7b, plant early in the season to give Belen Kiwi Vine time to establish. Consider applying mulch around the roots in the fall, and at least cover the basal stems with a winter cover. Alternatively, grow it in a large container,  and shelter it in a cold frame greenhouse during the coldest months. Once established, female plants and a pollinating male plant can be planted in the same container in order to save space.

Actinidia deliciosa, known as Fuzzy Kiwi, is native to China and locally commonly called "Yangtao", meaning "Strawberry-peach". Athough native to China, the large scale cultivation of kiwis began in New Zealand.