Kiwifruit Botanical Name: Actinidia deliciosa (Actinidiaceae)
General Description/History: - Size of a hen’s egg - Thin, fuzzy, brown skin - Emerald green juicy flesh - Small black, edible seeds dispersed throughout pulp The vine belongs to the Actinidiaceae family, which includes over 30 species. Of these species, some are grown for their ornamental value with only a few producing edible fruits. The vines are long-lived and grow vigorously during the summer and are deciduous during the winter. Individual plants bear either male pollen producing flowers or female pollen producing flowers. Choose plump, unblemished fruit, coloured light to medium brown with furry covering still intact. Buy only firm fruit or for immediate use, just slightly soft. If the fruit yields to gentle pressure when cradled in the palm of the hand, it is ready to eat. It is totally edible skin, seeds and all, although most people prefer not to eat the skin. Consumer Tip: Firm fruit will ripen naturally at room temperature, not in the refrigerator. To accelerate the ripening process, place the fruit in a brown paper bag with an apple or a banana. Peel and eat or cut in half and scoop out flesh with a spoon. Slice onto cakes, ice cream, Pavlova, trifles or add to sweet/savoury salads for a refreshing tang. Kiwifruit is an ideal accompaniment to chicken or steak. Great for the kids’ lunch. An average kiwifruit equals about ½ cup of diced or sliced fruit. Climatic conditions are vital. Temperatures below 10°C for 900 - 1200 hours during winter, without heavy frosts are needed to ensure spring bud-break and flowering. Soil should retain moisture but also be well drained. Red basalt clay-loam is ideal. Windbreaks are essential to protect young vines from windburn and breakage. Trellises are required to support and train vines soon after planting and should be built to carry the weight of the vine and fruit for up to 30 years. Both Dexter and Abbott varieties bear heavier crops than Hayward. A well managed five to six year old vines can produce between 15-20 trays/season. Hayward should yield about 5-12 trays/hectare/season from mature vines with Abbot and Dexter yielding around 15 trays. The transfer of pollen from male to female flowers by bees and other small insects is essential for a viable crop and large fruit. Kiwifruit flowers are void of nectar and are less attractive to bees. Also the male flower has dry pollen, which makes it difficult for them to collect. Therefore, in most fields’ beehives are installed to ensure adequate pollination. Pruning is important in obtaining fruiting wood for consistently high yields. Untangled, open vines improve bee access, light and spray penetration. Pruning is done in winter when plants are dormant and old canes are removed leaving one year old wood to ensure fruit in the coming season. The kiwifruit, otherwise known as the Chinese gooseberry or Tang Tao is produced on a vine, which is indigenous to the upper Yangtze River Valley in China. The development of this fruit from its primitive wild state to a product with acceptable commercial qualities occurred within a 60 year time span. In fact it was not the Chinese but New Zealanders who realised the fruit’s commercial potential and developed it, hence the name, kiwifruit.
Alternative Names: Chinese gooseberry Yangtao
Varieties: Please click pictures to see seasonality
Gold	Hayward
Growing Areas: QLD - Blackall Range, Burnett, Mt Tamborine, South Crows Nest, Toowoomba NSW - Coffs Harbour, Gosford, Nambucca, North Coast VIC - Goulburn Valley, Melbourne, Wangaratta SA - Adelaide Hills WA - South West New Zealand
Preparation Videos: Fruit Platter
Nutritional Value: Kiwifruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, 75mg/100g, which is more than double the daily adult requirement (30mg). It is also a good source of potassium and dietary fibre. 175kJ/100g. Calcium, Niacin and Pantothenic Acid can also be found in kiwifruit. The pulp contains an enzyme actinidin that is an effective meat tenderiser, similar to the enzyme papain in papaw.
Storage/Handling: 0°C and 90-100% relative humidity, ripen at room temperature. Consumer Storage: Ripen at room temperature and store in refrigerator crisper or plastic bag in refrigerator for a short time.
Recipes:
Kiwi, Strawberry and Banana Pancakes	Seasonal Fruit and Strawberry Parfait	Frozen Kiwi – Yoghurt Creams
Summer Fruit Dessert-Cake	Fruit Juice Cocktail	Grilled Pineapple, Apple and Kiwifruit with Orange Yoghurt
Strawberry Fruit Salad with Banana and Kiwi	Fruity Dippers with Choc Fudge Sauce	Watermelon Basket with Fruits
Interesting Facts and Myths? Kiwifruit did not originate in New Zealand. They were first originally grown in the Chang Kiang Valley of China, where they were considered a delicacy by the court of the great Khans. For many years, the kiwifruit was known as the Chinese Gooseberry but in 1906 the vine was introduced to New Zealand, where it flourished in the fertile soil. It is believed that kiwifruit was named for New Zealand's national bird, the kiwi, whose fuzzy brown exterior resembles the skin of the kiwifruit.