- Actinidia deliciosa
Taxobox
name = Chinese gooseberry
status =
image_caption = Fruit
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo =Ericales
familia =Actinidiaceae
genus = "Actinidia "
species = "A. deliciosa"
binomial = "Actinidia deliciosa"
binomial_authority = C.F.Liang.& A.R.Ferguson."Actinidia deliciosa" (syn. "Actinidia chinensis deliciosa") or
kiwifruit is native to southernChina , where it is declared as the National fruit of China. [http://www.google.com.my/search?q=%22Actinidia+deliciosa+%22+%22national+fruit%22+%22People%27s+Republic+of+China%22&hl=en&safe=off ] Other species ofActinidia are also found in China and range east toJapan and north into southeasternSiberia . This species grows naturally at altitudes between 600 - 2,000 m.Characteristics
"Actinidia deliciosa" is borne on a vigorous, woody, twining vine or climbing shrub reaching 9 m [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/kiwifruit_ars.html Purdue University:Kiwifruit("Actinidia deliciosa")] ] .
Leaves
Its leaves are alternate, long-petioled, deciduous, oval to nearly circular, cordate at the base, 7.5-12.5 cm long.
Young leaves are coated with red hairs; mature leaves are dark-green and hairless on the upper surface, downy-white with prominent, light-colored veins beneath. [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/kiwifruit_ars.html Purdue University:Kiwifruit("Actinidia deliciosa")] ]
Flowers
The flowers are fragrant, dioecious or bisexual, borne singly or in 3's in the leaf axils, are 5- to 6-petalled, white at first, changing to buff-yellow, 2.5-5 cm broad, and both sexes have central tufts of many stamens though those of the female flowers with no viable pollen. [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/kiwifruit_ars.html Purdue University:Kiwifruit("Actinidia deliciosa")] ] The flowers also lack nectar.
It flowers in November. Male and female flowers appear on different plants (dioecious) and both sexes have to be planted in close proximity for fruit set. Bees are normally used by commercial orchards, although the more labour intensive hand pollination is sometimes employed. Male flowers are gathered and processed to extract their pollen. This is then sprayed back on to the female flowers.
Fruits
The oblong fruits are up to 6.25 cm long. The russet-brown skin of the fruits is densely covered with short, stiff brown hairs.
The flesh is firm until fully ripen; it is glistening, juicy and luscious. The color of the flesh is bright-green, or sometimes yellow, brownish or off-white, except for the white, succulent center from which radiate many fine, pale lines.
The flavor is subacid to quite acid; it is suggested that it is similar to the favours of the
gooseberry orstrawberry . [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/kiwifruit_ars.html Purdue University:Kiwifruit("Actinidia deliciosa")] ]Varieties
Zhong Hua (Chinese gooseberry), Jing Li (northern pear gooseberry), Ruan Zao (Soft date gooseberry)and Mao Hua (may be tight- or loose-haired) are 4 main varieties of this species in China. Abbott, Allison, Bruno, Hayward, Monty (Montgomery) and Greensill are the cultivars in
New Zealand .History
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