Kiwi

History and origin

The kiwi (Actinidia chinensis), the fruit of a vine similar to the vine, is native to China, where it has been consumed for more than 2,000 years. Described for the first time by the Jesuit Father Pierre Le Chéron d’Incarville around 1750, it grew on the edge of the forests of the Yangtze. Then introduced to Florida, New Zealand, and Europe as an ornamental plant, it was nicknamed “Chinese gooseberry”. In 1904, the first plants arrived in France and New Zealand, where its cultivation intensified in 1959, under the name kiwi. Today, it is cultivated in many countries, including France, Italy, and Chile.

Variety and cultivation

The vigorous kiwi vine can reach 5 to 10 m per season. Main varieties: green kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) and yellow (Actinidia chinensis). Cultivated in temperate climates, it requires male and female plants for pollination, often carried out by bees. In orchards, one male plant is planted for every six female plants to ensure optimal pollination.

Did you know?

New Zealanders are often nicknamed “Kiwis”, not in reference to the fruit but to the bird of the same name, the country’s emblem. Note that the Kiwi is a bird incapable of flight due to its atrophied wings.