Kiwifruit, formally known as kiwi, grows on a perennial, woody vine, not a tree. The common misconception that the fruit grows on a tree may stem from its commercial name, which was adopted in the mid-20th century to market the former “Chinese gooseberry” to consumers. This fruit, native to the mountains of China, grows on a vigorously climbing plant that requires significant structural support.
The Botanical Reality: A Perennial Vine
The plant that yields the familiar fuzzy fruit is botanically classified as Actinidia deliciosa, a species of liana, which is a type of woody vine that uses trees or other structures for support. Unlike a tree, which possesses a single, self-supporting trunk, the kiwi plant has a flexible, climbing stem that requires external assistance to grow vertically.
This plant is a perennial, meaning its vine structure lives for many years, often spanning several decades under proper management, and returns to fruit season after season. Kiwi vines grow rapidly, often reaching lengths of 20 to 30 feet if left untamed in a single growing season. The plant stores energy in its root system and woody canes, allowing it to survive winter dormancy before producing new growth and fruit the following spring.
Cultivating the Vigorous Kiwi Vine
Since the kiwi plant cannot support itself, growers must provide robust, permanent support systems, commonly using trellises, pergolas, or T-bar structures. These structures are built to manage the vine’s substantial weight, as a fully mature vine laden with fruit can become quite heavy. The plant is trained onto the support wires, establishing a permanent trunk and horizontal arms that form the vine’s framework.
Managing the vine’s aggressive growth requires a structured pruning regimen performed throughout the year. Heavy dormant-season pruning is performed in winter to shape the vine and control its size, often removing 50 to 70 percent of the previous season’s growth. This winter pruning is necessary because kiwi only produces fruit on new shoots that grow from wood that is one year old.
Summer pruning maintains an open canopy, ensuring sunlight reaches the fruiting wood and improving air circulation around the developing fruit. This practice involves trimming back long, non-fruiting shoots, or “water sprouts,” that emerge aggressively. Growers maximize yield and maintain the vine’s long-term health by distinguishing between the permanent woody framework and the temporary fruiting canes.
The Requirement for Separate Male and Female Plants
Kiwifruit plants are dioecious, meaning individual plants are distinctly either male or female. The female plants are the fruit bearers, possessing flowers with a prominent central stigma and white ovaries. Male plants produce the pollen-rich flowers necessary for fertilization. A female vine will never set fruit without the presence of a compatible male pollinator blooming nearby.
The male’s sole purpose is to provide pollen, as its flowers lack the necessary structures to develop fruit. For successful cultivation, a specific ratio of male to female plants is required to ensure adequate pollination across an orchard. Commercial growers typically plant one male vine for every five to eight female vines, distributing the male plants evenly to maximize the spread of pollen.
Pollination is primarily achieved by insects, such as bees, which transfer pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers. The male and female flowers must bloom simultaneously, so selecting varieties with synchronized flowering periods is a necessity for fruit set. Although the male plant does not produce fruit, its presence is necessary for the female vines to yield the edible kiwifruit.