Minikiwi 'Ken's Red' Grafted Plant 60-80 cm (Actinidia arguta x melanandra)
Estimated delivery to you: 27 October to 03 November.
Minikiwi 'Ken's Red': current height 60-80 cm
Not self-fertile female plant = needs a male plant such as 'Weiki' or a bisexual self-fertile variety like 'Issai' to bear fruit. A pure male plant is recommended for best fruit setting.
Common names: Minikiwi, Gooseberry Actinidia, Hardy Kiwi
Scientific name: Actinidia arguta x melanandra
Family: Actinidiaceae
Plant history & use:
The minikiwi is a perennial climbing plant originating from Japan, Korea, and northern China. It is a hardy kiwi variety that can grow and produce good fruit outdoors in our climate. The fruits are small and hairless, eaten with the skin on, unlike the hairy kiwifruits we are used to buying in stores.
The variety 'Ken's Red' is a New Zealand cross between Actinidia arguta and Actinidia melanandra. Ken's Red possibly has the largest fruits among minikiwis – the fruits are sweet and flavorful, reminiscent of the common kiwi in taste. The variety is very hardy in our Nordic climate and has a compact growth habit, making it suitable for covering an area – for example, a wall or trellis.
'Ken's Red' produces wine-red fruits with firm flesh that has good shelf life after harvest.
The fruits ripen in September-October.
The fruits are a rich source of vitamin C (up to 5 times more than, for example, blackcurrants) and can be eaten directly from the plant without peeling. The fruits can also be made into jam.
In Korea, young leaves are used in a vegetable dish called namul.
Cultivation:
Minikiwi 'Ken's Red' is a hardy variety that withstands temperatures down to -25℃. It has a twining growth habit and can grow up to 3-4 meters tall. Some type of climbing support is necessary, such as a trellis, wall, or pergola. If you want to grow it in a food forest, it works excellently to let the minikiwi grow against a tree trunk – just try to ensure there is reasonably good light reaching the plant.
In June, 'Ken's Red' blooms with small, fragrant white flowers that then turn into tasty, smooth small fruits. The deciduous leaves turn a beautiful yellow in autumn.
The minikiwi thrives best in a sunny, warm, and sheltered location. The optimal growing place is in a greenhouse, against a wall, or on a trellis. However, it also does well outside a greenhouse and in shadier environments – but for best fruit production, the plant should at least be provided with good light access and wind protection.
Plant the minikiwi in a nutrient-rich, well-drained, and moisture-retentive soil. If you want to fertilize, it should be done with, for example, blueberry fertilizer, as the minikiwi prefers a slightly acidic pH. Natural fertilizer and compost also work well.
'Ken's Red' needs to be planted together with a male plant (within the same genus: Actinidia spp.) to bear fruit. It may take a couple of years before the plant starts producing fruit. An established plant can produce large amounts of fruit per year, about 25 kg per plant and in some cases more.
It is advantageous to grow against a trellis to get good air circulation and more sunlight to the fruits.
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Minikiwi 'Ken's Red' Grafted Plant 60-80 cm (Actinidia arguta x melanandra)
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Minikiwi 'Ken's Red': current height 60-80 cm
Not self-fertile female plant = needs a male plant such as 'Weiki' or a bisexual self-fertile variety like 'Issai' to bear fruit. A pure male plant is recommended for best fruit setting.
Common names: Minikiwi, Gooseberry Actinidia, Hardy Kiwi
Scientific name: Actinidia arguta x melanandra
Family: Actinidiaceae
Plant history & use:
The minikiwi is a perennial climbing plant originating from Japan, Korea, and northern China. It is a hardy kiwi variety that can grow and produce good fruit outdoors in our climate. The fruits are small and hairless, eaten with the skin on, unlike the hairy kiwifruits we are used to buying in stores.
The variety 'Ken's Red' is a New Zealand cross between Actinidia arguta and Actinidia melanandra. Ken's Red possibly has the largest fruits among minikiwis – the fruits are sweet and flavorful, reminiscent of the common kiwi in taste. The variety is very hardy in our Nordic climate and has a compact growth habit, making it suitable for covering an area – for example, a wall or trellis.
'Ken's Red' produces wine-red fruits with firm flesh that has good shelf life after harvest.
The fruits ripen in September-October.
The fruits are a rich source of vitamin C (up to 5 times more than, for example, blackcurrants) and can be eaten directly from the plant without peeling. The fruits can also be made into jam.
In Korea, young leaves are used in a vegetable dish called namul.
Cultivation:
Minikiwi 'Ken's Red' is a hardy variety that withstands temperatures down to -25℃. It has a twining growth habit and can grow up to 3-4 meters tall. Some type of climbing support is necessary, such as a trellis, wall, or pergola. If you want to grow it in a food forest, it works excellently to let the minikiwi grow against a tree trunk – just try to ensure there is reasonably good light reaching the plant.
In June, 'Ken's Red' blooms with small, fragrant white flowers that then turn into tasty, smooth small fruits. The deciduous leaves turn a beautiful yellow in autumn.
The minikiwi thrives best in a sunny, warm, and sheltered location. The optimal growing place is in a greenhouse, against a wall, or on a trellis. However, it also does well outside a greenhouse and in shadier environments – but for best fruit production, the plant should at least be provided with good light access and wind protection.
Plant the minikiwi in a nutrient-rich, well-drained, and moisture-retentive soil. If you want to fertilize, it should be done with, for example, blueberry fertilizer, as the minikiwi prefers a slightly acidic pH. Natural fertilizer and compost also work well.
'Ken's Red' needs to be planted together with a male plant (within the same genus: Actinidia spp.) to bear fruit. It may take a couple of years before the plant starts producing fruit. An established plant can produce large amounts of fruit per year, about 25 kg per plant and in some cases more.
It is advantageous to grow against a trellis to get good air circulation and more sunlight to the fruits.
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