Side by side
Kiwi fruit or hardy kiwi? How to tell them apart
Actinidia deliciosa · Actinidia arguta
How to tell them apart – kiwi fruit: larger, round leaves on stalks with reddish-brown hairs, and large, hairy kiwis; hardy kiwi: vigorous twining climber with glossy, hairless, sharply toothed leaves and clusters of smooth, grape-sized kiwis.
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How do you recognise them?
- Kiwi fruit
- Vigorous twining climber with large, round leaves on red-haired stalks, and hairy kiwi fruits.
- Compared with hardy kiwi: larger, round leaves on stalks with reddish-brown hairs, and large, hairy kiwis.
- Hardy kiwi
- Vigorous twining climber with glossy, hairless, sharply toothed leaves and clusters of smooth, grape-sized kiwis.
| Kiwi fruit | Hardy kiwi | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 10–20 cm, round to heart-shaped, felted underneath, with reddish-brown hairy leaf stalks and shoots. | Alternate, 8–12 cm, ovate to broadly elliptic with a pointed tip, finely and sharply toothed, glossy and hairless; leaf stalk often red. |
| Flowering | Creamy white flowers (4 cm) in May–June; separate male and female plants (May–June). | White, fragrant flowers (2 cm) with dark anthers, May–June; usually separate male and female plants (June). |
| Fruit | Kiwi fruits, only on female plants with a male nearby; harvest in October–November and leave to ripen further. | Smooth, green (red in some varieties) fruits of 2–3 cm in clusters, September–October; you eat them skin and all. |
| Bark | Twining, reddish-brown hairy stems that become woody. | Smooth, brown twining stems (not hairy) with chambered pith; old stems with peeling bark. |
| Shape and height | Climber, twines to 8–10 m | Climber, twines to 6–10 m |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Little | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | July and December–February | July and December–February |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have: see the growing conditions in the table.
Read on
- Plant profile: Kiwi fruit
- Plant profile: Hardy kiwi
- Kiwi fruit: when and how to prune
- Hardy kiwi: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.