Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

Does anyone grow Actinidia plants in Europe outside, if so I wonder which variety, was it grown from seeds or other means and does it start fruiting?
I like idea of growing own Kiwi plant but can't decide yet which variety to chose.

Re: Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

I used to zone-push Kiwis in Zone 2b/3a Canada. I purchased them as rootstock, and mulched them in hard each winter. The cultivar I was growing is Kiwi 'Issai' (developed in Manitoba for Northern winters) and I got some really tasty little fruits in about the third year.

Re: Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

Thanks for info, I didn't suppose it would be able to grow in that zone. Does they resemble taste of traditional Kiwi fruit or it was quite different?

Re: Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

Hi senso, it's miracle that you would ask that. :D To my knowledge, Russia and Ukraine are the world's largest research facility on Actinidia group. In Kyjev and other Large cities' botanical gardens you can find many Actinidias.
The most favored are Actinidia kolomikta, Actinidia chinensis (to -16°C) and Actinidia arguta (to -30°C). I have also seen many dozens of hybrids, even self-pollinating plants of kiwi.

Re: Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

'Issai' are very much like traditional kiwifruit, they're just the size of gooseberries. Yummy!

Re: Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

And they should be self-pollinating, becasue not many Kiwis are. :D

Re: Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

They are, actually. I had two vines, but that was because I wanted a lot of kiwis.

Re: Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

Almost all varieties I've seen including Hayward seems to require male and female plant from what I understand, so it's really good news that some varieties are self-polinated.
I already ordered Arguta and waiting for seeds to arrive.
Wonder how much space does it take?

Re: Luck with Actinidia Plants?
 

I grow actinidia and many people in my area do it, but unfortunately have no idea bout the variety. The problem here is that sellers never specify the variety of almost nothing, except from local varieties.

The same happens with bananas. Few days ago I was in a nursery and the lady told me come and look the banana plants; I went expecting to find our local variety, but to my surprise there was a cavendish type, evidently. However she was not able to tell me which variety was. Maybe it was a grand nain. The place of the nursery is a frost-free, but still I would have been glad to know which cavendish type could have such a success in the area.

Sorry for the OT and that I have not been helpful at all, only taking some time for chatting...