fruits in the bay of plenty orchards
- Size
- Vine length: 5–10 m, grown on trellises in orchards
- Lifespan
- 30–50 years
- Diet
- Photosynthetic. Draws energy from sunlight. Obtains nutrients from fertile, well-drained soils in cultivated environments.
- Habitat
- Cultivated orchards, old gardens and abandoned settlements. Prefers temperate climates with warm summers and mild winters. Needs fertile, well-drained soils.
- Range
- Cultivated throughout New Zealand. Commercial orchards primarily in Bay of Plenty. Also Northland, Gisborne, Tasman and Nelson. Originally from southern China.
- Endemism
- Introduced
- Main Threats
- No significant conservation threats as introduced species. Pests include passionvine hopper, armoured scale insects and root knot nematode. Disease bacterial canker PSA devastating.
- Population
- Widely cultivated in New Zealand. Industry one of most valuable horticultural exports. Originally called Chinese gooseberry. Rebranded as kiwifruit in 1950s.
- Conservation Status
- Introduced
- Human Risk
- harmless
- Handling Note
- introduced vine, edible fruit safe to handle
- Conservation Note
- Introduced fruit vine; commercially cultivated and naturalised in some areas, not subject to conservation assessment.
- Te Ao Māori
- Isabel Fraser brought kiwifruit seeds back to New Zealand after visiting China in 1904. First commercial orchards planted in 1930s. Export began in 1950s. Name kiwifruit adopted to make fruit more appealing to international markets. Today New Zealand kiwifruit exported worldwide. Industry faced challenges from disease but continues to innovate with new varieties. Symbol of New Zealand's horticultural success.
Growers prune it carefully. Actinidia chinensis is New Zealand's most famous fruit export. Fruit not native but became national icon. Introduced from China in 1904 by Isabel Fraser. Seeds planted. Fruit first called Chinese gooseberry. In 1950s rebranded as kiwifruit for export marketing. Brown, fuzzy fruit has bright green flesh. Small black seeds. Woody vine. Not tree. Grows on trellises in orchards. Bay of Plenty centre of New Zealand's kiwifruit industry. Fruit changed name to fit in.
Kiwifruit vine is deciduous. Losing large, round leaves in winter. Requires both male and female plants for fruit production. Single male vine can pollinate up to eight female vines. Flowers creamy-white and fragrant. Appearing in late spring. Fruit develops over summer. Harvested in autumn. Each vine can produce hundreds of kilograms per season.
Kiwifruit industry faced significant challenges. In 2010 bacterial disease PSA devastated orchards. Particularly popular Hayward green variety. Growers adapted. Planting more resilient varieties. Developing new management techniques. Industry survived. Continues to innovate. New varieties including gold kiwifruit and red-fleshed types expanded market.
Kiwifruit rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, and dietary fibre. Contains enzyme actinidin that can tenderise meat. Fuzzy skin edible. Though most prefer to scoop out flesh.
Orchard is green. Kiwifruit hangs on vine. Brown and fuzzy. Bright green inside. Does not know it was once Chinese gooseberry. Does not know it is national icon.
It just wants to be eaten. No one told it otherwise.