Kiwifruit is native to southern China, and has been declared the national fruit of that country. Other species of Actinidia are also found in China and range east to Japan and north into southeastern Siberia. The true Chinese gooseberry (A. sinensis) is native to China. Almost all kiwifruit in commerce belong to a few cultivars of Actinidia deliciosa, and those fruit that we find at local markets is grown in New Zealand. This name "kiwifruit" comes from the kiwi - a brown flightless bird and New Zealand's national symbol, and also a colloquial name for the New Zealand people.

The oblong fruits are up to 3" 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.

This lovely twiner with its fuzzy leaves, is ideal for trellis growing. The plant is a vigorous, woody vine (liana) or climbing shrub. 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. The flowers are fragrant, dioecious or bisexual. Male and female flowers appear on different plants and both sexes have to be planted in close proximity for fruit set. Bees are normally used by commercial orchards, although the more labor 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.

The genus includes shrubs growing to 6 m (20 ft) tall, and vigorous, strong-growing vines, growing up to 30 m (98 ft) in tree canopies. The fruit is a large berry containing numerous small seeds; in most species, the fruit is edible.

It grows well as a container plant preferring filtered sunlight in hot climates. In cooler climates it should tolerate full sun.

Regarded as the largest succulent in the world, the baobab tree is steeped in a wealth of mystique, legend and superstition wherever it occurs in Africa. It is a tree that can provide food, water, shelter, and relief from sickness. During drought, elephants obtain moisture by chewing on the wood. The stem is covered with a bark layer, which may be 50-100 mm thick. The leaves are hand-sized and divided into 5-7 finger-like leaflets. The baobab is a deciduous, meaning that in winter, it sheds all of its leaves and grows new ones in spring. The large, pendulous flowers (up to 200 mm in diameter) are white and sweetly scented ,that are pollinated by bats. They are followed by velvety fruits full of edible acidic pulp sought by both monkeys and people. In the dryer, temperate regions of Africa, Baobabs are a tree of myth and legend. Baobabs are carefully tended by rural peoples and are particularly useful: the hollow trunks of baobabs are used as dwellings and storehouses, traditional medicines are obtained from its bark, leaves, and fruit. Its bark can be pounded to produce fibers that are used to make baskets, cloth, hats, mats, nets, rope, and strings (interestingly, after the bark is stripped away, the baobab grows new bark). Its leaves are cooked and eaten as greens, and are dried for use as a seasoning and a sauce and stew thickener. Its fruit is rich in vitamin C, calcium, and iron, and is called pain de singe or monkey bread. It can be roasted, ground, and boiled to make a coffee-substitute; it is also soaked in water to make a refreshing drink, and is used as a flavoring. They will make a handsome addition to a large garden, estate, or large parkland providing the soil is not waterlogged. Baobabs cannot tolerate even mild frost. When they are young, baobabs do not resemble their adult counterparts, the stems are thin and inconspicuous, and their leaves are simple and not divided into the five to seven lobes of the adult trees. Saplings can be effectively grown in containers or tubs for many years before becoming too large and requiring to be planted into the ground.

See article about this tree.

See how to grow Baobab bonsai

Article about endangered Baobabs.

Adansonia grandidieri is a deciduous tree usually growing up to 25 metres tall, though stunted plants in the south of its range are sometimes only 5 metres tall. It has a massive, cylindrical bole that can be 3 - 5 metres in diameter and serves to store water for times of drought; the bole is topped by a sparse, few-branched, flat-topped, light crown.

It provides edible fruits and oil-rich seeds as well as being a source of fibre and material for thatching. Found only in a restricted area of Madagascar, the tree is threatened by habitat destruction and, due to the low numbers of mature specimens, poor regeneration.