Smooth skinned, very sweet, precocious 1 1/2" long fruits. Issai Female Hardy Kiwi is a Japanese self-fertile kiwi. Less vigorous than other kiwi so it is easily grown in pot. Considered self fertile but much higher yielding if planted with a Male Kiwi. Bears quickly. Zone 6-10. Photo courtesy of Chaim Kempler, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
ZONE: 6-10
POLLINATION/BLOOM TIME: Male will provide hundreds of showy white blooms with fluffy yellow stamens over 2-3 weeks in April/May; female flowers have thin white stamens (no pollen on them) by comparison.
RECOMMENDED GROWING AND CARE:
Full to 1/3 sun (in hottest areas), balanced regular moisture A MUST, and soils with high organic matter. Reduce grass competition in root zone. Top dress with compost yearly, and suppliment with timed-release organic fertilizer with high nitrogen. Needs very sharp drainage. Dormant prune in February for airflow and ease of harvest. Spur bearer. Prune like grapes. Provide very sturdy trellis especially for female vines - males can be kept tightly pruned or allowed to ramble up tall trees.
CHILL HOURS: Medium: 300 hours below 45F; needs 210 frost-free days to ripen.
DISEASE RESISTANCE: Very good. If cold kills the vines, they can re-sprout from their own roots the following year.
SIZE AT MATURITY: 10' x 4' unpruned
