Side by side
Hardy kiwi or grapevine? How to tell them apart
Actinidia arguta · Vitis vinifera
How to tell them apart – hardy kiwi: vigorous twining climber with glossy, hairless, sharply toothed leaves and clusters of smooth, grape-sized kiwis; grapevine: lobed leaves, tendrils and grapes in bunches.
How do you recognise them?
- Hardy kiwi
- Vigorous twining climber with glossy, hairless, sharply toothed leaves and clusters of smooth, grape-sized kiwis.
- Grapevine
- Palmately lobed, coarsely toothed leaves, tendrils opposite the leaves and bunches of grapes.
- Compared with hardy kiwi: lobed leaves, tendrils and grapes in bunches.
| Hardy kiwi | Grapevine | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 8–12 cm, ovate to broadly elliptic with a pointed tip, finely and sharply toothed, glossy and hairless; leaf stalk often red. | Alternate, 3–5-lobed, coarsely toothed, 10–20 cm. |
| Flowering | White, fragrant flowers (2 cm) with dark anthers, May–June; usually separate male and female plants (June). | Small, greenish, fragrant flowers in clusters (June) (June). |
| Fruit | Smooth, green (red in some varieties) fruits of 2–3 cm in clusters, September–October; you eat them skin and all. | Grapes in bunches, green to bluish-black (September–October). |
| Bark | Smooth, brown twining stems (not hairy) with chambered pith; old stems with peeling bark. | Older stems with bark that peels in long strips. |
| Shape and height | Climber, twines to 6–10 m | Climber, up to 10 m, usually pruned short |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal | Full sun, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | Yes, for birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | July and December–February | June–July and December–January |
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: Hardy kiwi
- Plant profile: Grapevine
- Hardy kiwi: when and how to prune
- Grapevine: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.