[Overview]
Those that are strongly cold-hardy and have small fruits with smooth skin are sold as hardy kiwi or baby kiwi.
They include cultivars of the hardy kiwi (Sarunashi) and Omi-no-sarunashi, and cultivars bred by crossing Sarunashi with kiwi or Shima-sarunashi.
A dioecious deciduous woody vine.
The leaves are simple and alternate, usually toothed.
The flowers are white to cream-colored with 6 petals.
The fruit is a berry with thin, smooth skin; many small black seeds are arranged in a radiating ring from the center of the flesh.
The color of the skin varies with the cultivar.
[Uses]
The fruit is edible.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by grafting or cuttings.
Because there are female and male plants, both must be planted for the plants to bear fruit.
It prefers a sunny place with good drainage and water retention.
Take care not to let it dry out; for potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long sunny spell and the soil becomes dry.
Apply organic fertilizer in early spring and autumn, in addition to fertilizer in winter.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
