Issai Hardy Kiwi Vine

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Description

Sweet and healthy. The fuzzless kiwi that grows on this vine is exceptionally sweet – with 20% natural sugar. And it has eight times more vitamin C than oranges! This variety thrives almost anywhere, except in extremely wet soil. It is also exceptionally productive, bearing up to 100 pounds of fruit annually. The vine grows rapidly, so it requires a sturdy support system, which should be built before or soon after planting. Heat-tolerant. Ripens in late August. Self-pollinating.

Survival Guaranteed!

Since 1816, Stark Bro’s has promised to provide customers with the very best fruit trees and plants. It’s just that simple. If your trees or plants do not survive, please let us know within one year of delivery. We will send you a free one-time replacement, with a nominal shipping fee of $9.99. If the item in question is not available, we can issue a one-time credit to your account equaling the original product purchase price or issue you a refund. Read more about our warranty policy.

Characteristics

Bloom Color Green, White
Chill Hours 400
Fruit Color Green
Fruit Size Small - Medium
Hardiness Zone Range 5 - 9
Pollination Self-Pollinating
Ripens/Harvest Late August
Shade/Sun Partial Shade - Full Sun
Soil Composition Loamy
Soil Moisture Well Drained
Soil pH Level 5.5 - 7.0
Taste Sweet
Texture Firm, Juicy
Years to Bear 2 - 3

Size & Spacing

Mature Size

When your plant matures, it will be approximately 8 - 12' tall x 8 - 12' wide.

Recommended Spacing

We recommend spacing these plants 8 - 10' apart to ensure room for growth.

Zone Compatibility

This Variety's Zone Range 5 - 9
My Hardiness Zone ?
The USDA hardiness zones offer a guide to varieties that will grow well in certain climates. Each zone corresponds to the minimum winter temperatures experienced in a given area. Make sure that your hardiness zone lies within the zone compatibility range of this variety before ordering.

Pollination

This variety is self pollinating.

In many cases, you may still want to plant pollinating partners to increase the size of your crops, but with self-pollinating varieties doing so is optional. You'll get fruit with only one plant!

Tools & Supplies

Having the proper tools and supplies when growing your own can make the difference between a good harvest and a great harvest! Here's a list that our experts recommend for this variety.

Planting & Care

Learn all about how to grow kiwi berry vines in The Growing Guide. An entire section of our website dedicated to your growing success.

Shipping Information

Estimated Delivery Date

This item is currently out of stock.

Arrives when it's time to plant

Your success is our priority. We work hard to make sure that your order arrives at the ideal time for planting in your location based on your local climate conditions.

Questions & Answers

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73 Questions
Why did you choose this?

Yes

I like kiwi, I hope one day I can eat out of the vine.

Cold Hardy Kiwi

My kids love to eat fruit.

I have one male and three female hardy kiwi vines purchased by Miller Nurseries. I am not sure if they are 'Anna'. I think they may have been listed as 'Arctic'. My question is: Would the Issai cross pollinate my current female vines? I would like to purchase one additional vine and I thought getting a different variety (Issai) would be good. Plus it is self-pollinating so it would not be dependent on my current male in case he ever has a year without flowers.

Yes, that is a benefit of growing the self-pollinating Issai: It can also serve as a pollinator for female kiwiberry vines.

My Issai Kiwi is over 3 yrs old and has not yet yielded fruit. For the past 2 years fruit has formed but they fall off a couple weeks later. Has anyone had this experience or know what could be wrong?

In the past I have had the hardy kiwi and they act like a grape vine. It may take up to 5 yrs old to produce fruit. Mine was like that and once it started producing, they were not only plentiful but very sweet.Warning:::: I had to prune several times during the summer they grow fast and where the new vines grow it does not produce fruit just like a grape vine, but they are worth it.

Can you grow these on a fence in my yard if it's only roughly 4 ft high or do they need to reach the max 8-12 feet to be productive?

there are a lot of good online resources that will help with this question. In short Kiwi Berries should be grown to develop a bi directional curtain (sometimes referred to online as a curtain of diminishing returns). a main trunk should be developed (I am training mine to a 6ft high trunk) with two main cordons branching off in both direction. From these cordons will grow your fruiting canes that need to be pruned each year. These fruiting canes will form the curtain that should be supported by a wire 2ft away from the cordon and running parallel to the cordon. The curtain should be pruned in the summer to keep it off the ground.

Hello. Is the Anna keowie a decent pollinator for the issai keowie? Will 2 different varieties help each other produce more fruit?

Isaai will set fruit without a male pollinator, but will do better with one nearby. Anna requires a male pollinator. These two varieties will not pollinate one another because they're both female. We recommend the Hardy Kiwi Pollinator for best results from either tree:

http://www.starkbros.com/products/berry-plants/kiwi-berry-vines/hardy-kiwi-pollinator

Hi! I have always wanted to grow Hardy Kiwi, but I haven't lived in the same home for long enough for a plant to bear fruit. Would it work to grow in a large pot kept outdoors and brought in for winters until I have a more permanent yard? And if so, would I need to grow the companion vine in a nearby pot as well, or would it work to wait to plant the vine until planting the Hardy Kiwi outdoors in another year or two? I'm in zone 6a, if that makes a difference. Thanks for any insight you can provide!

I planted 6 of them over the course of two years. None of them made it. I quit trying, I don't think there is anything hardy about them here in Kansas City.

Can I grow this on a deer fence?

I wouldn't recommend it. Once mature and productive, these vines become quite heavy. Also, the deer would likely devour it in no time. Oregon State University has a very extensive and helpful growing guide in a free .pdf online. Google "OSU kiwi" and it'll pop right up. Hope this helps.

I planted mine last fall when arrived and am in the process now of traing the "trunk" up the center pole. It is growing fast as promised, but there are two other upwardly mobile shoots as well. Should these be cut off?

do not trim. in orchards we have observed them growing together forming a trunk that becomes an umbrella above you so that you can pick them from underneath.

I have two arbors next to each other that were meant to support grape vines. After giving them 5 years of chance, I finally came into conclusion that my area is not suitable for growing grapes organically. I would like to reuse the arbors to plant hardy kiwis. After doing quite a lot of online reading, I found out most hardy kiwis need both male and female plants to be productive, except Issai kiwi. If I plant Issai on one arbor and a female plant of a different variety on the other arbor, can the Issai pollinate the female plant properly as a male plant would? Can both plants be as productive as they should be if given the proper care and environment? I found a couple answers that were contradictory so far. I am not picky of the variety of the other female kiwi, so please recommend. Thank you.

No, the Issai Hardy Kiwi will not pollinate another female variety. However, if you add a female and a male, of another Hardy Kiwi variety, it will increase the production of the Issai Hardy Kiwi. In fact, if you just add a male Hardy Kiwi, it'll increase production. But I'd add both a male and female.

On another site, it said this grows as a tree, up to 25ft. is yours a tree or a vine like regular kiwi?

I planted mine in the berry patch, Oct 2016, zone 6A. It was about 3" tall. Now, it about 15 vines 8' tall, growing up a trellis, The plant is beautiful, and hopefully will begin to produce fruit next year. It is certainly not a tree!

I'd like to plant this in a planter or pot and let it grow on a trellis. What is the minimum volume that I can use? If it is in a pot will it winter over in zone 7A ? We have really bad soil in this area and I'd like to give the vine a fighting chance by controlling the soil its in.

I am very sorry - I can't answer because mine died very soon after planting. I do know they require a very strong trellis - something that can support more weight than a grape vine. I think it would be very difficult to grow this vine in a plantar. If they live, they are trailing and strong. Thanks and best wishes.

Customer Reviews

131 Ratings
2.9out of 5 stars
131 Ratings

Rated 5 stars by 29% of reviewers

Rated 4 stars by 15% of reviewers

Rated 3 stars by 11% of reviewers

Rated 2 stars by 11% of reviewers

Rated 1 star by 35% of reviewers

1-10 of 131 Reviews
Rated 5 out of 5
Oct 11, 2024
Assai kiwi
My kiwi is growing beautifully and its so green and healthy. The item was packaged in a way that the shipping would not get crushed.
Rated 5 out of 5
Oct 6, 2024
Pleased with order
Arrived in excellent condition and growing already this season.
Rated 5 out of 5
Oct 1, 2024
Very satisfied
Very nice plant. Growing very fast. I am very satisfied
Rated 5 out of 5
Jul 11, 2024
Very healthy and growing great so far, looking forward to fruit in the future.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jul 10, 2024
Great plant. Great Service.
well packaged. great service. the plant is thriving since I have planted it in the ground.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jun 19, 2024
The kiwis are doing alright.
The kiwi are taking their time to grow large, but we expect them to take off soon, and we look forward to their fruit.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jun 15, 2024
My kiwis came nicely packaged. The soil was still moist, the plants were nice, green, and a good size. Very impressed by my 1st order.
Rated 5 out of 5
Nov 4, 2023
Kiwi vine
Great growing kiwi vine. Healthy hearty and great growth.
Rated 5 out of 5
Aug 17, 2023
Order two plants, one have no problem at all. The other one look dead after planning it but over time it's looking good right now.
Rated 5 out of 5
Aug 8, 2023
Issai Hardy Kiwi Vine
It came as small plant. I was not sure
about whether it will survive. First month it was kind of slow growth.
But now it is growing very well. Hopefully I will see big vine next year.