Did you know that these tasty and nutrient-packed fruits grow on a vine and aren’t native to New Zealand?

In fact, the kiwifruit plant (Actinidia deliciosa) originally stems from temperate parts of southwestern China and was traditionally known in English as the “Chinese gooseberry.” In the early 20th century, the plant was exported to Europe, the United States, and New Zealand, where the vast majority of kiwifruit is grown today.

Hardy kiwi (A. arguta), on the other hand, is native to northern China, Japan, and the Korean peninsula.

Types of Kiwifruit

There are two main types of kiwi plants that can be grown in home gardens: the kiwifruit (A. deliciosa) and the hardy kiwi or kiwiberry (A. arguta, A. kolomikta). The kiwifruit is the type that most of us are familiar with; it produces those fuzzy brown fruit that are about the size of an extra-large chicken egg. The hardy kiwi, on the other hand, produces smooth, green, grape-sized fruit, which is why it also goes by the name “kiwiberry.” The flavor is said to be sweeter than that of the larger kiwifruit. Some species of hardy kiwis, like A. kolomikta, are grown mainly for their attractive, pink-variegated foliage and fragrant flowers.