Where does kiwi grow in nature. Kiwi: where in Russia they grow a wonderful fruit and other interesting facts

Few people know that under the common name kiwi, in fact, a more intricate phrase is hidden - Chinese actinidia (in other words - delicacy). At first glance, it seems that the answer to the question of how kiwi grows is quite simple: most likely, on trees. However, it is not. Kiwi is a tree-like vine that looks a bit like a tree, but requires support. The fruits are arranged in clusters on the plant. It is very interesting that during the season, actinidia changes the color of the leaves: green, whitish, pink and crimson. And it is in the summer. Sometimes kiwi is called a phrase that is closer to our language and understandable to a Russian person - Chinese gooseberry, because just like him, kiwi fruits have in green, thin skin and small seeds hidden inside.

Answering the rhetorical question - how does kiwi grow - you can also add that its fruits are covered with a kind of "fluff", which gave rise to this name. Outwardly, the fruits have some resemblance to the body of a kiwi bird, whose feathers have a brownish tint, it has a small tail and wings, so the body forms something like an oval. Kiwi - flightless bird. The first company that began to sell this fruit on the market was called "kiwi", and this bird was its emblem. Thus, the bird and the fruit have a fairly close relationship.

As for the selection of actinidia, its wild form was brought to New Zealand not so long ago - at the beginning of the 20th century. Wild kiwi fruits weighed only thirty grams. Already in a new place, a cultural species of actinidia was bred - large-fruited. It differs from the wild one not only in weight (one hundred grams or more), but also in more pleasant palatability, sweet taste.

Today, to learn how kiwi grows, you can go to Italy, Abkhazia, Chile and New Zealand. This fruit is widely distributed in these countries. The main condition for its full maturation is the climate - subtropical, with the right amount precipitation. It is from these countries that these wonderful juicy fruits, having a greenish, pleasant-tasting pulp, are transported all over the planet. Experimental actinidia plantations are also available in Russia - in Krasnodar Territory, on the Black Sea coast. In others climatic zones oh actinidia can be grown as ornamental plant, because it handles the winter well.

The kiwi fruit has average weight about 75 grams, large - more than a hundred. Actinidia is often called a fruit, however, it is more correct to call it, rather, a berry, because. it grows not on a tree, but on a vine. There are kiwis with yellow flesh, this variety is called "Gold kiwi". The fruits of this berry-liana contain a large amount of vitamin C, one might say, a record, as well as various biologically active substances, such as potassium. Thus, this culture is useful for almost everyone, especially those with hypertension or those suffering from iodine or potassium deficiency.

Definitely describe the taste of kiwi is very difficult. Different people after tasting its fruits, they talk about absolutely different fruits and berries: gooseberries, strawberries, bananas, melons, apples and even pineapples. Kiwi is used in the kitchen in different ways: it is eaten fresh, served with meat, added to fruit salads, make jelly and marmalade out of it, make jam. And also today even wine and liqueurs are made from kiwi.

Kiwi is a fruit interesting plant, which is called Chinese actinidia or gourmet actinidia. Kiwi got its name because it resembles a bird of the same name: the shape of the fruit is oval, and the skin is covered with a short soft fluff.

Where does kiwi grow?

China is considered the birthplace of kiwi. When this little green fruit appeared in Asian countries, it became known as the Chinese gooseberry. At the beginning of the 20th century, heat-loving actinidia began to be cultivated as an ornamental plant in New Zealand, and it did not disappoint its fans: it actively developed in a favorable island climate. Nowadays kiwi in in large numbers grows in Georgia, Abkhazia, in Bulgaria on the border with Greece, in Indonesia, Italy. Large-fruited varieties of this plant are grown in the Krasnodar Territory.

On the Far East Russia grows Chinese actinidia - actinidia kolomikta. It is of undoubted value as an ornamental vine, but its fruits are sour. This tree is unusually beautiful during flowering, and its leaves are able to change color depending on the intensity of the light and the angle of incidence of the rays.

kiwi plant

The tree on which kiwi grows belongs to the vine species. Actinidia is a plant with tree-like flexible branches that can reach 20-25 m in length. For favorable development, she needs a support that could hold a considerable weight of the plant. All varieties of this liana differ in one feature: their leaves during the season are able to change their color several times. They can be whitish, pink and pink-crimson, dark and light green.

Kiwis grow in clusters. At the beginning of ripening, the fruits are green, but over time they become brown in color and become covered with fluff. But the middle of the fruit remains green. The flesh of kiwi is mostly sweet and sour, with slight variations in taste in one direction or another, depending on the type of plant.

There are varieties in which fruits reach a weight of 130 g. In conditions other than subtropics, it is difficult to grow such types of actinidia, therefore, in countries with many types of vines, they bear fruit poorly. In most climatic zones, it is advisable to grow kiwi fruit only as an ornamental plant. These trees love well-lit areas, fertile, well-drained soil, and places that provide natural protection from the wind. Kiwi can be grown in. For this purpose, both seeds and vegetative processes can be used.

Kiwi or Chinese actinidia is a tree-like tropical liana, its habitat is in the subtropics of Italy, Abkhazia, New Zealand, Chile and the Black Sea coast. This wild fruit first appeared in New Zealand at the beginning of the twentieth century. Was later released large-fruited variety actinidia. But few people know how kiwi grows in nature and at home. Therefore, this information will be useful for those who want to grow this plant at home.

In appearance, kiwi appearance resembles a tree that needs support. IN natural environment kiwi fruits, collected in clusters, ripen at the top of the shoots. Throughout the season, tropical liana changes the color of the leaves from green to white, pink and crimson. In the people, this plant is called the Chinese gooseberry. Ripe fruit is covered with a thin skin and has an amazing taste. Inside the fruit is a green sweetish-sour pulp with numerous small black seeds. For most gourmets, the taste of this fruit is associated with strawberries, gooseberries, melons, apples or bananas. On average, the weight of one fruit is 80 grams. Kiwi fruits are rich in vitamin C, which is more in fruits than in currants and lemons, and the content of a vital trace element - potassium is twice as much as in the same bananas.

Growing kiwifruit at home is a completely real, exciting and effortless process. In order to get the seeds, you need to purchase a ripe fruit in any grocery store. Currently, there are several varieties of this plant, and each of them can be grown quite successfully at home.

Given the natural growing conditions, kiwi is a sun-loving plant. He needs a certain place of detention on the windowsill on the south side, where there is no cold and drafts.

The technology for growing kiwi at home consists of several stages:

• Pre-sowing preparation and germination of seeds.
• Seedling picking.
• Plant care.

Seeds extracted from a ripe fruit must be washed well from the remnants of the pulp. Keep in mind that kiwi seeds are very small, they are washed through a sieve or gauze. Purified planting material put into a glass of water room temperature and put in warm place, south side.

After 8-10 days, the seeds should open. If this does not happen, it is necessary to replace the water in order to prevent the planting material from rotting. Opened seeds need to provide greenhouse conditions with systematic ventilation.

A rag soaked in water is laid out on a saucer, the hatched seeds are evenly spread on top of it. In order to create greenhouse conditions, planting material is covered with a transparent jar or glass and placed in a warm, well-lit place.

Greenhouse conditions will ensure rapid germination of seeds - literally in 3-4 days. Germinated seedlings will have microscopic roots, which means only one thing, that the time has come to plant them in the soil.

A nutrient mixture of peat soil, sand and black soil is optimal for growing this plant at home. A small expanded clay drainage layer is laid out at the bottom of the landing containers, a slightly moistened soil mixture is poured over it. In order to facilitate further picking, seedlings are planted separately.

Sprouted sprouts spread on the surface of the nutrient substrate and sprinkle thin layer earth - from 2x - to 3 mm. Plantings are placed in a warm place and irrigated daily with a spray bottle. warm water. Spraying with water can be replaced by building a mini greenhouse from a transparent material. Collecting condensate under the film will create required humidity for seedlings.

After the shoots appear, the shelter is removed. As soon as the seedlings grow up and release one pair of leaves, they dive into others. landing tanks a little bigger size. By this time, the plant reaches 10-12 cm in height. In this case, the same soil mixture is used as for sowing seeds, only with a smaller amount of peat. Unpromising and unnecessary sprouts must be immediately discarded, selecting only the strongest and healthiest. Timely picking is extremely important, since it will depend on further development and fruiting tropical vines.

In order to ensure the full and active growth of plants at home, they need special care. For kiwi, it is necessary to create conditions close to the natural habitat:

• First of all, these are frequent and moderate waterings. This fruit does not tolerate drought, as well as an excess of moisture. Therefore, in order to avoid such consequences, kiwi is irrigated from a spray bottle. IN winter period season exotic fruit suspends its growth, so its watering is reduced to a minimum - no more than three times a month. During the period of active growth, plants are moistened more often - 2-3 times a week. In hot summer days kiwi needs frequent irrigation of the aerial part.
• This fruit, just like the others exotic plants, actively grows in conditions of good and long daylight hours. In addition, he needs warmth. Therefore, plants are placed on windowsills on the southwest or south side. If this is not possible, replace daylight can be artificial lighting lamps.
• In order for the plants to fully develop, they must be periodically thinned out. At an early stage, young sprouts are simply pulled out. It will be more difficult to extract grown plants from the soil, since kiwi grows the root system very quickly and actively. Weaker plants that thicken plantings are sheared.
• You can get healthy fruit-bearing plants with good nutrition. Kiwis are fed with compost or biohumus once a year.

A shallow trench is dug around the plant and fertilizer is placed in it. In the process of watering, top dressing will seep deep into the soil, nourishing the entire root system of plants.

Kiwi rarely gets sick and is affected by pests, even at home. However, periodic inspections for the presence of diseases and harmful insects will not be superfluous.

With good and faithful care, this plant, grown from seeds, already in the third or fourth year of life, blooms and begins to bear fruit at home.

Kiwi or Chinese actinidia (Actinidia chinensis) is a tree-like liana that naturally grows in subtropical regions. Fruit this plant represent quite large berries with thin, slightly pubescent skin. Their green flesh has a pleasant aroma and a sour-sweet taste.

China is considered the birthplace of Chinese actinidia, and its first cultivars were bred in New Zealand in the second half of the twentieth century. Currently, kiwi cultivation in room conditions is not particularly difficult, the main thing is to initially learn the technology.

Features of growing kiwi at home

In order to get a well-developed and abundantly fruiting plant at home, you need to know how to grow kiwi and provide it comfortable conditions vital activity. Planting is recommended in the spring.

The soil

The soil for planting kiwi seeds should be neutral or slightly acidic. Suitable from ready-made substrates soil mix for citrus crops.

If the soil is done independently, then it is recommended to use the following options:

• sod land - 2 parts, leafy land - 1 part, humus - 1 part, coarse sand - 1 part;
• sod land - 3 parts, leafy land - 2 parts, peat - 1 part, perlite - 1 part.

Conditions for flowering

In order for the plant to bloom, you must carefully follow the rules of planting and further care.

Cross-pollination is required to produce fruits.

In this case, in the third or fourth year of growth, white flowers will appear on the kiwi, which gradually turn yellow as they grow. On plants, female and male specimens are formed, therefore, to obtain fruits at room conditions, you will need cross pollination.

Lighting

Kiwi belongs to light-loving plants. Therefore, for its growth, you need to choose a well-lit place, preferably in the southern part of the room. In this case, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight to avoid burns. To do this, in a particularly hot time to create artificial shading.

Important! When choosing a place for growing kiwi, you need to know that when proper care it grows strongly, forming a powerful vine. Therefore, you need to prepare a fairly spacious room for him.

Selection of planting material

To grow kiwi from seeds, you need to choose a large, well-ripened fruit. It should not have traces of rot or any mechanical damage. It must be thoroughly washed, dried, cut into two halves and the required amount of seeds removed.

Kiwi seeds are very small

Planting kiwi and care at home

To obtain strong healthy seedlings should be given Special attention preparation and planting of seeds, as well as further proper care of young plants.

Seed preparation

From the cut fruit, you need to carefully remove the pulp and place it in a container of water. After that, stir with a spoon or knead with your hands. Change the water periodically until the seeds are completely clean. After that, they need to be laid out on dry matter and dried.

Next, take a small plate and cover it with damp cotton wool, put the seeds on it and tighten it with polyethylene on top. The container must be placed in a warm, well-lit place. The film must be removed daily for several hours to ventilate and moisten the seeds. The appearance of sprouts should be expected within a week, after which you can plant.

Planting germinated seeds

For planting seeds, you need to use shallow pots. A good drainage layer should be poured at the bottom, and pre-prepared, sterilized soil should be poured on it. Make holes in it with a depth of no more than 5 millimeters, plant the seed material, sprinkle it with a thin layer of soil and slightly moisten.

After germination, the weakest should be removed.

Tighten containers plastic wrap and send to a warm and bright room. Every day, the shelter should be removed in order to ventilate the plantings and water if necessary. After the sprouts appear, you need to remove the weakest of them.

Planting dry seeds

In the same way as germinated seeds, dry ones can be planted. But in this case, the seedlings will have to wait a little longer. In the future, the emerging sprouts are similarly cared for.

picking

After about a month, several true leaves should form on the plants. At this time, you need to carry out a pick, planting seedlings in separate small pots. Since kiwi has a very delicate, superficial root system, it is necessary to remove the seedlings from the total container very carefully. Root damage can lead to plant death.

Young kiwis should be grown in separate containers.

top dressing

When transplanting kiwi into individual containers, it is recommended to add a small amount of compost to the prepared soil. In the future, from the beginning of spring to the end of summer, it is necessary to feed the plants with complex mineral fertilizers every 2 weeks.

Watering

Kiwi is moisture-loving plant, therefore, during the growing season, watering should be regular and frequent. The soil should remain moist at all times, but overflow should not be allowed, which can lead to rotting of the root system. . The pot should have drainage holes, and excess water from the pans should be drained regularly. In especially hot times, in addition to watering, plants require daily spraying.

Important! Starting in autumn, it is necessary to moisten the soil only as needed after its top layer has completely dried.

Why the plant may die - possible reasons

Kiwi needs careful care

Kiwi can die if the rules for caring for it are not followed. The reasons may be:

• insufficient or excessive watering;
• poor lighting;
• a lack of nutrients in the soil as a result of the lack of timely top dressing;
• infection with fungal diseases and pest damage ( spider mite, scabies, aphids and others).

In order to prevent the death of plants, it is necessary to follow the rules for their maintenance and regularly conduct a routine inspection.

If fungal diseases are detected that lead to decay of both the root system and the ground part, one should:

• remove the affected leaves and parts of the stem;
• if possible, remove the plants from the pot, rinse the roots and cut off the rotten ones;
• transplant kiwi into clean soil;
• spray and shed the soil with a fungicide solution.

If pests appear on kiwi, then you need:

• trim wilted and dried leaves;
• wash all parts of the plant with a household solution or;
• spray kiwi with an infusion of garlic, onion, tobacco or wormwood, if this does not help, then spray with an insecticide.

Important! Cats love to eat kiwi leaves, and even the roots of the plant. Therefore, if there are pets in the apartment, it is recommended to wrap the pots with a net in order to avoid its destruction.

Propagation by seedlings and cuttings

Kiwi propagation is possible by seeds and cuttings.

Kiwi can be grown not only from the stone, but also using cuttings and seedlings. For propagation by cuttings, semi-lignified or lignified cuttings are used, on which there must be at least 3 buds. The lower edge is cut obliquely under the lower kidney, and 1 centimeter is left above the upper one.

Then the planting material is placed in a container with water, to which a growth stimulator is added for at least 12 hours. After that, boxes for seedlings are prepared, on the bottom of which a drainage layer is poured, and on it a mixture of equal parts of peat and sand. Cuttings are planted in a container, moistened, covered glass jars and sent to a warm, well-lit room.

Every day, the shelter is removed and the seedlings are sprayed, and also watered as necessary. After about a month, the cuttings form a fairly developed root system. At this time, they can be seated in individual pots with good layer drainage and soil mix.

Propagation by seedlings is carried out with the help of root offspring. They are simply carefully separated from mother plant so that they have roots. The resulting planting material is planted in small pots with nutrient soil and watered. As a rule, seedlings take root very quickly.

How to get a good kiwi harvest at home

To receive you need to good harvest kiwi, the plant should be provided with comfortable conditions close to those in which it grows in the wild. As mentioned above, he needs good lighting, regular watering and proper feeding.

Kiwi with proper care bears fruit well at home

In addition, you need to make supports along which growing vines will rise up. In order for the plants to branch better, regular pinching should be carried out. And, of course, in order to have fruits at home, it is required to cross-pollinate male and female flowers.

Kiwi is exotic tropical plant. Nevertheless, it grows well in the conditions of ordinary city apartments, and with proper care, it even brings not only tasty, but also healthy fruits.

We invite you to get acquainted with the nuances of growing kiwi at home. Enjoy watching!

Many people still do not know what kiwi is and how it grows. We are sure that this useful fruit maybe not a fruit. Or maybe kiwi is a berry? So let's try to figure out what is kiwi, where and how does it grow?

What is kiwi?

Kiwi is fetus tree liana Actinidia . It was first heard about in China. The fruits of wild vines weighed no more than 30 g. After cultivation, their weight changed and tripled, and the taste became more acceptable for eating.

Breeders from New Zealand, where the kiwi came from China, gave it the usual name for us in honor of the bird, so similar in shape and color to this fruit. Most people think that kiwi is a fruit. In fact kiwi is considered a berry, and its second name is "Chinese gooseberry".

It tastes unique and resembles either strawberries and melons, or gooseberries or bananas.

It seems that all fruits are the same, but they are not. Known several varieties of kiwi:

• Hayward.
• Abbott.
• Monty.
• Bruno.

They differ in color, fruit size, yield, and even taste and composition. For example, fruits of the variety Hayward most common due to their impressive size and juicy taste. And the fruits of the variety Monty extremely small, but in terms of the content of potassium and vitamin FROM they have no equal.

Where does kiwi grow?

The fields where kiwi is grown can be found in many countries, despite the capricious nature of the latter. New Zealand is the largest producer of kiwifruit.. About 3,000 farms produce enough kiwi fruit to supply more than 60 countries.

In other countries, they also grow "Chinese gooseberries", but mainly for the domestic market. These are countries such as:

• China.
• Italy.
• Iran.
• Chile.
• Greece.

The kiwi did not have a relationship with the United States, since it took root there only in California and Hawaii.

For our country bred special frost-resistant varieties . Plantations with kiwi can be found mainly in the Kuban. The local climate is quite suitable for growing exotic berry, which is in no way inferior in its taste characteristics overseas fruits. Such a product is both cheaper and more useful.

Useful properties of kiwi

Kiwi has a high medicinal value, due to high content of vitamin C. There is an opinion that one kiwi can replace a whole bucket of apples. Kiwi also contains:

• Vitamin A.
• B group vitamins.
• Quinic acid, thanks to which the berry has such an expressive taste.
• actinide enzyme.
• Kiwi fruits are useful for people seeking to lose weight. They contain a lot of nutrients per calorie.

Minerals:

• Magnesium.
• Calcium.
• Potassium.
• Phosphorus.

Kiwi fruits are extremely useful for pregnant women, they can be used as a source calcium and magnesium so necessary for a developing organism.

How to choose a good kiwi?

For kiwi to be really useful, it must be chosen correctly. Only really ripe fruit, which properly stored, will contain useful material. What should you pay attention to?

1. The smell of kiwi should be fragrant fruity.
2. The skin of a ripe kiwi is firm and smooth to the touch.
3. When pressed, the ripe fruit will be soft, and the unripe hard.
4. If the peel looks wrinkled, then the fruit has lost a significant amount of fluid, and with it nutrients.
5. The overripe fruit has dark spots and cracks, as if it had burst.

Having bought kiwi fruits, they must be properly stored at home.

• In the refrigerator, kiwifruit can be stored for 3-4 weeks, if necessary.
• If you have already bought a fruit and realized that it is not ripe, put it in a place where there is no sunlight for several days. There he will reach desired state. Our grandmothers and mothers used this method.

How does kiwi grow in nature?

For those who are interested in seeing how it grows " fluffy berry» in nature, it is better to go to China. There, kiwi was preserved in its original form of thirty-gram fruits.

Outwardly, the plant looks like a tree that is about to fall. The fruits are similar to grapes. Branches depart from the trunk - creepers, the length of which can often reach 5 meters or more. They wrap everything around them.

During flowering, from May to June, on the tree appear flowers white color , rather large. Although kiwi prefers shade, it still cannot do without sunlight like any other plant. And of course, needs a lot of moisture. However, if water stagnates in the soil, the plant may die.

On plantations, kiwi looks completely different. When grown on an industrial scale, the vine needs a support that will replace the natural growing conditions. They are arranged in the form of a grid fixed on poles. Yes, kiwi extremely tough shrub.

How does kiwi grow at home?

If you suddenly want to conduct an experiment and grow kiwi at home, so that its vines will envelop your room, and you can eat fresh berries for breakfast, you must follow these rules:

1. Remove the seeds from the ripe fruit and rinse them gently under running water.
2. Dip the seeds in a vessel filled with water. They will sprout in a week.
3. Transfer the germinated seeds to a damp cloth and cover, for example, with a cut plastic bottle.
4. Once the roots have hatched, it's time to transplant the seedlings into the soil.
5. As soon as the leaves appear and they grow a little, transplant the plant again, into a larger container.
6. The plant needs frequent watering especially during the flowering period.
7. It is better to place the pot with kiwi on southwest side, there is more light and heat.
8. Weaker plants must be removed.

If you are in a hurry, then it is better to take cuttings, they will bloom much faster than a seedling.

Also kiwi can be grafted. To do this, you need to take male plants and instill a female bud in them. But it will require a lot of space in order to plant a few trees. With proper care, the "fluffy berry" can bloom in 3 or 4 years.

After reading this article, you learned how kiwi grows, where and what it is, a fruit or a berry. Now, if you want to eat a ripe fruit, you can grow it at home yourself.

Growing plant video

In this video, biologist Anton Kamzolov will tell and show how kiwi grows in the yard at home in Ukraine, in the city of Uzhgorod: