Prolific Hardy Kiwi is valued for its self fertility. Prolific fruit is dark green all the way through. Hardy Kiwi likes half day to full sun and well-drained soil. The plants need a strong trellis and can spread 10-12 ft when mature. Prolific Kiwi, a self-pollinating variety, is early ripening and produces abundant crops of medium to large, sweet and tasty fruit. The cultivar is sometimes used as a pollinator for other female cultivars. Fruits are flavorful with reddish/violet on the skin and flesh when ripe. Minimum chilling requirements 300 hours. These Kiwi have smooth-skinned fruits so there is no need to peel the skin of the fruits unlike the fuzzy fruit species Actinidia deliciosa. Fruits vary in size and are similar to several varieties of grapes. Plant stems and fruit buds are more cold tolerant than the A. deliciosa species and are mainly grown in colder areas where the cold temperatures can range from 10-18F. Fruit flavors are of course different with every cultivar, similar to all fruits. The Hardy Mini Kiwi Prolific can bear fruit the first year after planting. It produces smooth-skinned fruit the size of large grapes in late summer to early fall, great for fresh eating, salads, dessert or jelly. Kiwi plants are attractive growers that require a sunny location, preferably with wind protection. They can be grown in different types of soils; however, the soil must be well drained. Kiwi plants are very pretty when used to cover a wall or fence or used in landscape design. Less aggressive than other kiwi varieties, Prolific is easily trained and ideal for trellises or fences.
