The kiwiberry is exactly what it sounds like: it looks like a kiwi fruit but it’s much smaller, about the size of a grape, and without the furry skin. It grows as a vine with attractive yellow-ish leaves, so you can either keep it contained in a pot with regular pruning or let it grow up a trellis or wall. It needs a warm and sunny spot to thrive. It won’t do well anywhere that’s very cold.

This plant is a promise to your future self. It’s unlikely to bear fruit in the first year, but take care of it and you’ll be rewarded from next year on.

The kiwiberry comes from North-East Asia, but has grown in popularity around the world. A mature plant looks similar to a grape vine, with the fruit hanging in similar bunches. For best results place it in full sun and water frequently so the soil is always moist, but make sure excess water can drain off. Give it a weekly feed in spring and summer. Fruit should grow through spring and be ripe and ready to eat by mid-summer.

It’s a vigorous grower that might reach 30 metres high in the wild, but it’s easy to keep it compact. Just trim it back whenever it starts getting too big. 

The fruit has all sorts of uses and can be used in jams, cocktails, smoothies, or pretty much anything you want.

Did you know?

Just like kiwis, kiwiberries are high in vitamin C.