Issai Hardy Kiwi – Self-Fruiting Vine with Sweet, Grape-Sized Fruit

Enjoy fresh, sweet kiwi fruit straight from your garden with Issai Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia arguta 'Issai')! Unlike the fuzzy kiwi commonly found in grocery stores, Issai produces small, smooth-skinned fruit that can be eaten whole.

The grape-sized fruit is known for its sweet flavor, making it a delicious addition to home orchards, edible landscapes, and backyard gardens. Issai is also self-fruiting, so you only need one plant to produce fruit.

Issai Kiwi Plant Features

• Variety: Issai Hardy Kiwi

• Botanical name: Actinidia arguta 'Issai'

• Fruit: Small, grape-sized, smooth-skinned kiwi

• Flavor: Sweet

• Pollination: Self-fruiting; one plant can produce fruit

• USDA hardiness zones: 4–9

• Chill requirement: Approximately 400 chill hours

• Sunlight: Full sun to approximately three-quarters of a day of sun

• Mature size: Approximately 8–12 feet tall and 8–12 feet wide

• Growth habit: Twining vine

• Soil: Well-drained soil, pH approximately 5.5–7.0

Sweet, Fuzzless Kiwi Fruit

Issai produces smooth-skinned kiwi fruit that is different from the fuzzy kiwi typically sold in grocery stores. The grape-sized fruit can be eaten whole without peeling.

The fruit is valued for its sweet flavor and is reported to contain approximately eight times the vitamin C of citrus fruit.

The grower reports that Issai usually begins bearing fruit the year after planting, although fruiting depends on plant establishment and growing conditions.

Under favorable conditions, a mature, productive plant may produce up to 100 pounds of fruit. Actual yields vary with age, climate, care, and growing conditions.

Harvest Season

Fruit ripens at different times depending on your location:

• Northern locations: Usually late September.

• More southern locations: Usually late August.

Harvest timing can vary with local weather and growing conditions.

A Productive Vine for Gardens and Containers

Issai is less vigorous than some other hardy kiwi varieties, making it a useful option for gardeners with limited space.

It can be grown in the ground or in a large container. Its attractive foliage twines around supports, making it suitable for:

• Trellises and arbors

• Fences and walls

• Garden privacy screens

• Edible landscapes

• Large patio containers

The vine can grow approximately 8–12 feet tall and wide, so provide a sturdy support system as it develops.

Growing and Care Information

Sunlight: Plant in full sun or a location receiving approximately three-quarters of a day of sunlight.

Soil: Prefers well-drained soil and does not like excessively wet conditions.

Soil pH: Approximately 5.5–7.0.

Chill hours: Approximately 400 hours.

Pruning: Issai has a spur-type growth habit and generally requires less pruning than more vigorous kiwi varieties. If pruning is needed, the grower recommends doing it during winter.

Support: Provide a sturdy trellis, arbor, fence, or other suitable structure for the twining vine.

Shipping Information

• Free shipping to most locations.

• Larger boxes and shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, APO addresses, US territories, and locations considered remote may require a freight surcharge.

• Orders will be held if temperatures are warmer than 89°F or colder than 20°F. Shipping will resume when temperatures improve.

• Please enter your preferred shipping date in the Special Instructions to Seller box at checkout.

Plant Quality and Customer Support

Every plant is inspected for quality before shipment. Plants are rarely damaged during shipping, but please contact us promptly if you notice a problem.

If damage occurs, take photos of the package and plant so we can better assist you.

Add Issai Hardy Kiwi to your garden for sweet, smooth-skinned fruit, attractive foliage, and a productive self-fruiting vine!

Thank you for supporting our nursery.