Kiwi is an exotic green fruit with a unique sweet and sour taste. What is a kiwi? Bush, tree, grass? Let's find out where this plant came from. What conditions does it like? And how to grow it in your own house?
What tree does kiwi grow on?
Exotic fruit comes from the genus Actinidia, which translates as "ray". All representatives of the genus have a characteristic radiant arrangement of the ovary columns (this is clearly visible if you cut the kiwi across). There are approximately 75 species. They are mainly distributed in Southeast Asia, 4 species can be found in the Far East of Russia.
Where kiwi grows - on a tree or shrub, it is sometimes difficult to answer. Actinidia are considered woody vines, but sometimes they are also called shrubby vines. However, regardless of whether the kiwi is a tree or shrub, its fruit is a berry. It combines several flavors, sweet and sour at the same time.
Outside, the berries are unsightly, resembling potatoes covered with villi. The average size of ripe kiwi is 100 grams. Inside, it usually has a saturated green color. There is a “golden” variety of this plant (Gold kiwi), the fruits of which are yellow in color.
How did we learn about kiwi?
It is believed that people owe the origin of kiwi to New Zealand. This is completely not true, although the tree got a catchy and short name thanks to enterprising New Zealand merchants. The plant was named after a small bird, which in appearance resembles its fruits.
The real homeland of the “shaggy” berry is China. Until XX, New Zealand did not even suspect what a kiwi tree looks like. For three hundred years it grew in eastern and northern China in the wild, until a friend of Alexander Ellison brought him a gift of several seeds of an unknown fruit.
Allison began to cultivate the kiwi tree, calling it "Chinese gooseberry." The wild fruit was much smaller and harder than the modern one. To make it tasty and attractive, Alexander Ellison spent a lot of energy and more than 30 years of life, however, only close gardeners knew about it.
The world of kiwi was discovered by Ellison's neighbor James MacLoclin, turning the cultivation of creeper into a gold mine. In the 1960s, he acquired a whole plantation of miracle berries, selling them abroad. Now New Zealand is one of the largest suppliers of kiwi. It is grown in Japan, Greece, Chile, Iran, Italy and other countries, but mainly for the domestic market.
Beneficial features
Kiwi is an incredibly useful product. One berry replenishes the body with a daily norm of vitamin C, which is responsible for tissue growth, iron absorption, and resistance to infections. It also contains antioxidant vitamin E, folic acid and vitamin B6. In addition, the berry is rich in sodium, magnesium, fiber, zinc, chromium, potassium, calcium and iron.
Using kiwi, you can increase stress resistance, improve digestion. The berry will help prevent cardiovascular diseases, the appearance of premature gray hair, save from hair loss, improve immunity in general.
"Chinese gooseberry" contains a lot of potassium and is able to remove excess cholesterol. Kiwi is used for iodine deficiency, hypertension, for the prevention of cancer and rheumatism. It is good for weight loss, as it burns fats perfectly. Crushed flesh is used for cosmetic purposes to nourish and moisturize the skin.
Kiwi rarely causes allergic reactions, so it is often recommended for children. Fruits have strong restorative and tonic properties. Effectively affect the body after diseases, with general weakness. They are also advised for general prevention.
Kiwi seeds
It is possible to grow an Asian berry directly on your windowsill. It’s easier to do this from seeds. Kiwi tree will sprout longer than that grown from the cuttings, but it will become more resistant to diseases and environmental conditions. Seeds should be extracted from a ripe fruit, otherwise they may not germinate at all.
Seeds must be carefully removed from the berries, washed with a sieve or gauze from the remains of the pulp. For planting, it is better to choose several seeds to increase the chances of germination. Put them in a small container, fill with water and leave in a warm place. Water is periodically worth changing. The seeds will begin to germinate within a week, after which they can be planted.
For each plant, it is advisable to choose a separate container with peat. Sprouts are laid on the surface of the earth, slightly sprinkled on top. The container should be placed in a well-lit warm place, you can make a greenhouse from a film stretched on top. In the absence of a greenhouse, sprouts are sprayed with water daily.
Kiwi Care
The tree at home begins to grow rapidly. When several pairs of leaves appear, you can plant in permanent pots. The bottom of the pot is laid by drainage. In order for the plant to receive maximum nutrients, it is important to choose the right soil. It should contain an admixture of sand, peat, preferably turf and humus.
The homemade kiwi tree is developing rapidly, so it is immediately recommended to establish supports. To prevent the liana from growing excessively, pinch the top regularly. The plant should be transplanted every spring, and in winter it is better to use additional lighting.
Kiwi tree loves humidity. Periodically it needs to be sprayed. Adult plants are watered a little less often than young plants. At home, water is defended so that chlorine evaporates. When growing vines in the garden, plentiful watering is required in the dry season. In spring, the plant is watered only at the end of the threat of frost, in the winter it is watered several times a month.
The leaves of the plants are quite large and, as they grow, shade the sunlight of neighboring individuals. In the garden, trees are planted several meters apart. It is advisable to orient the support from north to south. So the kiwi will have more access to lighting.
Plant features
Kiwi is a dioecious plant; male and female plants are required for pollination. The method of planting from seeds is usually more affordable. However, with this method, 70% of the individuals will be male. This can be checked only after flowering - in the third or fourth year.
To obtain fruits for three female trees, it is enough to have one male. They are distinguished by flowers, in female plants the pestle will be larger. In order not to make a mistake during the experiment, you can buy cuttings that are already ready for planting. Then the result will be predictable.
Up to the age of 10, a kiwi tree increases productivity every year. Berries are often picked greenish, leaving to ripen. The fruits are able to remain in this form for up to six months in conditions from 0 to 6 degrees.
The plant loves warmth. In open areas of land it must be closed from frost. Despite this, varieties capable of withstanding the harsh climate of Russia have been bred. They bear fruit no worse than the "southern relatives."
Kiwi in cooking
The taste of this berry is difficult to describe. It sour like gooseberries, but at the same time it looks like strawberries, apples, pineapples and even bananas. However, everyone has different descriptions. Eat it well after a hearty dinner of meat, fish, dairy products, as the berry improves digestion and helps the body process proteins.
Anything is made from kiwi. It is used for making jams, preserves, grinding with sugar and mixing with other berries or fruits. Compotes and fresh juices are made from ripe green fruits. They perfectly emphasize the taste of meat and fish dishes, without interrupting the main taste.
Out of ignorance, difficulties can arise with the preparation of jelly. The fact is that in kiwi juice contains a substance that prevents gelatin from hardening. To avoid this, the pulp of the berry must be doused with boiling water.
Beauty berry
If you resist and do not eat juicy kiwi, it can be used for masks. The fruit is incredibly beneficial for the skin of the face. Numerous vitamins and minerals in its composition improve blood circulation in cells, promote healing of the skin, enrich it with oxygen.
Kiwi nourishes and tightens the skin, makes it supple, supple. After such masks, the face acquires a lighter and healthier shade. Combined with other ingredients, kiwi is suitable for any type of skin. For problem skin, the berry is used with poppy seeds. For oily mixed with lemon, horseradish or clay.
The pulp of the fetus is also used for sensitive skin types, although one should be careful here. Saturated juice can cause irritation. Before making various manipulations with kiwi, it is worth checking how the body will react to it. To do this, you can apply a little mixture to a small area of the skin.
Interesting Facts
Due to the large size of the berries, many mistakenly call the kiwi fruit. There are other interesting information about an exotic plant:
- In ancient times, Chinese rulers used kiwi fruits as an aphrodisiac.
- The tree is little susceptible to disease, and insects practically do not eat it.
- Because of the shaggy skin, kiwi is called "monkey peach" in China.
- A wild plant is extremely rare. The size of its fruit reaches only 35 grams, cultivated kiwi can grow to 110.
- The plant lives on average 40 years.
- Vitamin C in this berry contains more than in citrus fruits, but less than in red bell pepper and parsley.
- Kiwi peel is also useful. It is believed that it contains a lot of fiber and has antioxidant properties. True, it can have a laxative effect, so you need to be careful.
Conclusion
Kiwi is a unique berry brought from China to New Zealand at the beginning of the 20th century. If not for the painstaking work and perseverance of Alexander Ellison, we would not have known about her at all. In the wild, the berry is not particularly remarkable and small, but its cultural variety is very popular.
Kiwi contains fiber, various microelements, vitamins, due to which the fruit is called the “vitamin bomb”. It is an excellent tool that increases the stability of the body and restores its strength. Berries are widely used in cooking and cosmetology.
Kiwi grows with a vine, which grows to seven meters in height. You can grow a plant both at home and in the country, closing for a period of severe cold. The kiwi tree is not too whimsical. There are no big difficulties with his care, but the number of berries on the vine will increase every year.